
Class r - ' ^ 

Book, -'- ^ JT^ ^f 7 



/ 



HISTORY 



• OF 



DIXON COUNTY, 



NEBRASKA. 



Its Pioneers, Settlement, Growth and Development, and 

Its Present Condition — Its Villages, Townships, 

Enterprises and Leading Citizens, 

Together with Portraits and Biographical Sketches of 

Some of Its Prominent JMen, Incidents 

OF Pioneer Life, Etc. 



WILLIAM HUSE, 

PONCA, NEBRASKA. 



1896; 
Press of The Daily News, 

NORFOLK. 



PREFATORY. 



The following- book of the county's history, early incidents, 
legends, stories, etc., hopes to meet with approval. That there 
are some errors, there can be no doubt, but the bulk is as 
correct as the memories of old settlers will permit. 

The book is much larger than it was expected to be. The 
material on hand would have made a thousand pages, and 
hence to bring the size within reasonable bounds, it was 
necessary to abridge and cut down whenever it could be 
done. Especially so in our notices of the citizens of the 
county, which we have been compelled to shorten to one- 
fourth the length we had intended. 

We have been greatly helped in the history of old times by 
the valuable memories of C. F. Putnam, A Davis, S. B. 
Stough. N. S. Porter, Dr. Porter. L. T. Hill, and other pio- 
neers, such memories being about the only sources of 
information to consult on such matters. For matters per- 
taining to the several townships and their present residents, 
we are greatly indebted to the friendly assistance of the 
citizens and especially the supervisors of such townships. 
Without such aid it would have been impossible to have 
given the many brief notices of citizens, and it is likely that 
even with all such assistance, some mistakes and omissions 
have occurred, especially in the south half of the county. 
To Wm. Wheeler. P. Kerwin, T. Hoy, W. Jenkins, J. Martin, 
A. D. Morgan and Greo. Herrick, we are also under great 
obligations for information in relation to the several vil- 
lages of the county. 

Without further words we will now introduce it to readers. 



CO 

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a 

H 
Q 

a 




CONTENTS. 



Part First. 



CHAPTER L 

Introductory— ^Brief Preliminary Survey of Frontier Life 
in Northeast Nebraska Thirty-five to Forty Years 
Ago 



9 



CHAPTER n. 

The Organization of the Territory of Nebraska The 
First White Settlers in Dixon County and the Re- 
linquishment of Indian Claims -Names, Dates of 
Arrival and Where From, as Near as Can be Ascer- 
tained of Pioneers From the First Arrival in May, 
1856, to the Time When Dixon County w^as Organized 
in the Fall of 1858 14 

CHAPTER HI. 

Particulars and Experiences of First Settlement of 
County— The Rapid and Increasing Tide of Pioneers 
—The Birth of Ponca— Paper Towns and the Town- 
site Business in 1856 and 1857— Concord, North 
Bend, Dixon and Ionia— The Desire for County Or- 
ganization-Attending Election at St. Johns— The 
First Grasshopper Raid Seen by the Pioneers— Or- 
ganization of County and Location of County Seat- 
First Election of County Officers 24 



CONTENTS. 

CHAPTFR TV. 

Dixon County's Progress — Its Officials and Their Methods 
of Doing Business — First Board of Commissioners, 
Their Proceedings and Records, and the Many Dif- 
ficulties They Had to Encounter— The First Assess- 
ment of Property and the Poverty-stricken Display 
of Wealth Hard Times and Few Improvements — 
First School in County— Call for Troops in 1862 and 
Enlistment in Dixon County — Ed. Freeman Killed 
in Battle of Whitestone Hill — Indian Scares in 1863 
— Stampede of Settlers from the Niobrara Country — 
The Drouth in 1864 and the Great Crops in 1865 — 
The Growth of Ponca and the Rise and Fall of Ionia. 40 

CHAPTER V. 

Indian Scares and Annoyances — N. S. Porter's Interview 
With "Smoker" of "Little Rabbit's" Band— L. T. 
Hill's Experience with Indians at Ionia — J. Murphy 
of South Creek has an Unpleasant Visit — Indian 
Pow-wows and Dances— The Ancient Indian Tribes 
and Legends 58 

CHAPTER VI. 

Courts and Crimes of Dixon County in 1870 Indians 
Brought Before the District Court for the Murder of 
Munson in Wayne County -The Court of Judge 
Lynch and the Trial and Conviction of Mat Miller 
for the Murder of Mr. Dunn Mysterious Fate of 
James Bigley 64 

CHAPTER VIT. 

Story of a Rascally Little Railroad— The Covington, 
Columbus and Black Hills Narrow Gauge Enter- 
prise — Its Rise and Career— Its Exploits in Finance 
and Building and its Final Sale by a Receiver 73 

CHAPTER VITl. 

The Growth of the County Ikmtinued- The South Half 
ot tlie County Commences Settling Up Martins- 
burg Started in 1872 Plizzards. and Loss of Life in 



CONTENTS. 

1S72— Grasshoppers in 1874, 1875 and 187B The 
Black Hills Excitement of 1875 and the C. C. & B. H. 
R. R. — The Increase in Size and Business of Ponca, 
Martinsbnrg and New Castle — The Earthquake of 
1877 — First Steps Toward an Agricultural Society — 
Terrible Prairie Fires in March, 1 871) 79 

CHAPTER IX. 

The Coal Discoveries and the Ups and Downs of Mining 
In Dixon County During the Past 38 Years — The Al- 
leged Immense Beds of Black Diamonds in the River 
Bluffs and the Determined Efforts to Find Them 
Have Seductive Hope Before and Black Disappoint- 
ment Following After -Every Attempt to Find a 
Paying Vein is a Total Failure— "Old Joe Brewer" 
and his Discovery of the Plesiosaurus -His Mound 
Building Theories The Ionia Volcano and Indian 
Superstitions Regarding it -)() 

CHAPTER X. 

The Building of the Railroad up the Logan Valley and 
its Great Help in Settling up the Southern Part of 
the County The Terrible Winter of 1880-Sl The 
Spring Break-up of the Ice in the Missouri and the 
Damage and Loss of Life Ensuing -Great Bend is 
Cut off' From Dixon County by a Change of the River 
and Becomes a Part of Dakota Territory — The Flood 
at Ponca and Along the Aoway and Logan— The 
Starting of Wakefield in 1S8L -A Tragedy Near New 
Castle — The Agricultural Society Project Revived 
and the First County Fair in September, 1882 — 
Record of General Growth -Indian Raid on Emer- 
son Organization of the First G. A, R. Post in 
County— Brief Review at End of 1882 99 

CHAPTER XI. 

From 1883 to 1886 — The Agricultural Society Holds its 
Annual Fairs— Talk of a Railroad Bridge— Robbery 
of the County Treasury — Treasurer Knapp and His 
Bondsmen Township Organization Voted on in 
1883 and Goes into Effect in 1886 - Another County 



CONTENTS. 

Seat Project Voted on — Great Storm in June, 1885 
—Murder of Alexander by Blair in 1885 108 

CHAPTER Xll. 

Railroad Rumblings The Building of the Short Line 
— The Extension of the Ponca Branch to New 
Castle— The Burning of the Mill at Ponca — The 
Failure of the First National Bank— The Starting 
of Allen, Concord. Waterbury and New Castle 117 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Assessments, Population, Improved Land. Fruit and 
Forest Trees -Marriages, Births and Deaths from 
the Organization of the County to the Present 
Time — Lists of County Officers, Clerks, Treasurers, 
Commissioners and Supervisors, Probate and County 
Judges. Sheritfs and Superintendents of Public In- 
struction, County Attorneys, Clerks of Court and 
Surveyors, from the First until Now 128 

( IIAPTERXIV. 

Members of the Legishiture Sent from Dixon County 
— District Judges J. B. Barnes and W. F. Norris 
— Schools and Scholars — The First Deed Recorded 
in County "Grist Mills, Saw Mills and other Manu- 
factories 1 40 

CHAPTER XV. 
Ponca City — Its Past and I^-esent I4(> 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Ionia and Ponca Townships Their Citizens, etc.. etc... Pll) 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Silver Creek. Daily. Hooker. Clark and New Castle 

Townshi])s, and New Castle Village 215 

CHAl'TEK Will. 
Otter Creek, Galena, S[)i'ingl)ank and Emerson 28o 



CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XIX. 
Logan, Wakefield and Concord 251 

List of names of teachers whose portraits are given 226 



Part Second. 



LEGENDS, STORIES, ETC. 

Among the Indians — Adventures in the Dixon County 

Country in 1810 273 

The Sacred Rock of the Arapahoes— A Legend of the 

Ionia Volcano 280 

Indian Cruelty—The Murder of the Wiseman Family.. . 288 

THE REALM OF FICTION. 
The Brazilian Traveler and the Narrow Gauge Railroad 292 

Dixon County's Caves, and Professor Perrigoue's Re- 
markable Discoveries Therein 299 

Volcanic Phenomena — Thrilling Adventures of a Party 

while Making Investigations 309 

Indian Scare and Massacre 321 

SHORT SKETCHES. 
A Surveying Expedition '^29 

Story of Adventures with a Drove of Wild Beasts 334 

Reminiscences, and How We Ran for Office 338 

A Bull Fight '^42 

An Irrepressible Conflict Concerning a Hog Trough. ... 344 

A Conhdence Game '^47 



CONTENTS. 

Prof. Perri^ones Fight witli Fire 341) 

Burglars in Town 351 

An Indian Duel 354 

The Ueneral's Jollihcation Meeting 355 

Index 361 



LIST OF ENGRAVINGS. 

The board of supervisors, fronting title page. 

Portraits of teachers, following prefatory. 

Map of county, facing page 9. 

First house in county, May, 1856, by Adam Smith, facing 
page 16. 

Lutheran church, Ponca, facing page 149. 

Dr. 8. B. Stough's i-esidence, Ponca, page 149. 

Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Huse, following page 15l\ 

J. W. Porter, between 154 and 157. 

J. J. McCarthy's residence, Ponca, between 154 and 157. 

John Stough lfV> 

Mrs. John Stough 163 

J. M. Da\ ey 16S 

Mrs. J. M. bavey 1 69 

R. H. Pomeroy ] 74 

Mrs. R. H. Pomeroy 175 

J udge A. W. Rose 180 

Mrs. Carrie L. Rose ISl 

S. P. Mikesell LS6 

S. P. Mikesell's residence 1S7 

T. J. Sheibley 192 

Miss Anna Sheibley 193 

Miss Harriet A. Pomeroy 193 

W. W. Cooper " 197 

Prof. B. H. Culver 197 

L. T. Hill -204 

Mrs. L. T. Hill 205 

C. F. Putnam 212 



CONTENTS. 

A. Davis 212 

0. M. Childs 218 

W. P. Logan 227 

Patrick Scollard 236 

H. H. Hart and family 245 

C. T. Barto 254 

Mrs. C. T. Barto 254 

H. P. Shumway 258 



i 



MAF OF 

DIXON COUNTY 

NEB. 




HISTORY 



OF 



Dixon County, Nebraska 



PART FIRST. 



CHAl^TEH I. 

Introductory — Brief Preliminary Survey of Frontier 
Life in Northeast Nebraska Thirty-five to Forty 
Years Ago. 

The rich hiiul. pure water and healthy climate of Nebraska, 
together with its rapidly <Ji:rowing cities and towns, its rail- 
roads, markets, schools, chnrches and innumerable enter- 
prises and improvements, |»resent a wonderful contrast to its 
condition thirty-hve to forty years ago. In many respects it 
is now regarded one of the best states in the nnion, bnt at 
that time it was hardly known. Then it was generally be- 
lieved that Nebraska (and especially that part of it where 
Dixon county is,) was chiefly a desert, with little good land, 
having an atmosphere laden with malaria, without timber, 
and with water abominable to the taste and smell. Those 
who desired to make a home in this part of the west, were 
liable to be discouraged when they looked at the map and 
saw "Great American Desert" w^ritten across it, and especially 
when they listened to tales which asserted that in Nebraska 
the face of the country was a succession of sand hills, that 
its few white inhabitants were hardly superior to savages, 
and that an existence here w^ould l)e unhappy and useless. 

Prior to 1S50, Nebraska was principally inhabited by In- 
dians. The duskv tribes who made Dixon countv their 



]() HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRAHKA. 

stamping ground the Oiniihas, Poncas, Sioux, etc., were 
generally not the kind of noble red men immortalized by 
Cooper. They hunted, hshed and stole ponies, and occasion- 
ally when a trader canu' and supplied them, they drank hre- 
water and fought with one another. The numerous Indian 
graves on the bluffs along the Missouri are about the only 
mementoes we now have of our copper colored predecessors. 

It will beseenthatthepioneers who first braved the perils 
of frontier life in Dixon county had no easy lot for awhile, 
nor were the times considei'ed any too safe in the presence 
of the Indians, wdu) deemed this their especial country and 
regarded the whites with aversion. In view of this unpleas- 
ant fact, settlers often had to follow the New England custom 
of two hundred years ago, and go about their work, guns in 
hand, and with eyes and ears ever open. 

Most of those who ventured into this country, thirty to 
thirty-nine years ago, were poor in cash, ])ut they usually 
had what was better, viz: a good supply of practical sense, 
and plenty of energy and perseverance. Some began life 
hej-e as farmers, others hung out theii" shingles and announced 
themselves as blacksmiths, carpenters, lawyers, doctors or 
land agents. In all the trades and professions to which they 
applied themselves, grit and good judgment usually con- 
ducted them to the top. One might commence anything if 
he only had brains and assurance enough, and apparently 
with flattering prospects of success, whether keeping cattle, 
raising corn and potatoes, selling farms and town lots or scal})- 
ing Indians, and finally, if he could in the meanwhile keei» out 
of the penitentiary, he might expect to go t:) the legislature 
(►r to congress. All were ambitious to succeed, and concern- 
ing state and county affairs every man was a politician. 

In IS")*), the Pike's Peak fever carried away a large numbei- 
of inhabitants, and in iSIri the Indian troubles drove away 
many nn)re. Afterwards, for several years, improvements 
were slow. Those who remained in spite of the hard times 
which stuck to them like a brother, saw the tide finally turn, 
and to-day have no cause for regret. Of those first settlers 
now living, who had the grit to stay and see the dark side of 
life during the hrst few years of this country, there are few 
who are not in prosperous circumstances. 

Prior to the time Nebraska became a state, Dixon county 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 11 

was exceedingly slow moving. With no railroads and few 
markets, and with poor })Ostal facilities and little news of 
what was going on in the world, life here was peculiarly 
humdrum. Among the few exciting occasions on the frontier 
were the raisings, when the settlers met and helped up a 
house or barn of logs or sod, and generally wound up the 
l)roi)itious event with a royal time of joy. Again, excitement 
brewed and bul)bled up when an election took place. Then 
the citizens in determined and friendly contest, showed the 
merits or demerits of the respective candidates, argued the 
pros and cons, made the air vibrate with eloquence, and car- 
ried the day one way or the other with as much fervor as 
though the fate of Rome was to be decided. 

In those primitive days, official business was not as heavy 
as it is now, and state and county officers had little except- 
ing their official dignity to sustain them. Not as now^ were 
counties compelled to build offices for their clerks, treasurers, 
judges and sheriffs, nor was much room required for records, 
nor iron safes for a county's money. Then, county officials 
were not troubled to hnd office room. An empty cracker l)ox 
or nail keg was deemed good enough for papers of minor im- 
portance: valuable records, however, were more carefully 
protected, and clerks and treasurers for safety and convenience 
usually carried them around in their hats. And in that age of 
Arcadian simplicity, he who, in obedience to the voice of his 
fellow citizens, donned the judicial ermine, administered jus- 
tice in a manner as patriarchal as was practiced in the days of 
Abraham. A stump or a surveyor's quarter section mound 
often became the seat of justice, and a much thumbed book 
of Ohio or Pennsylvania forms, the only legal compass to 
guide the decisions from the bench. I^aw suits were often 
settled by the court and constal)le giving off' their costs, and 
in extreme cases the bystanders would chip in and make up 
the amount in dispute. 

The most violent disturl)ances of public quiet took place 
at the time of county seat contests. Then it was that 
embryo metropolitan cities, whose log houses and corner 
groceries could have l)een counted on the fingers, entered the 
lists, and like young, untamed colts, furiously competed and 
ran against each other for the co\eted prize. Such elections 
were always close and amid great excitement. Very often 



12 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

the official coiiiit showed more votes polled than there were 
white men. Indians, horses, buffaloes, coyotes and i)rairie 
dogs in the county. This habit of extensive voting never 
prevailed in any other kind of a contest, and in this was 
not confined to any one voting precinct. l)ut was practiced 
equally and impartially at all of them. Hence, no serious 
harm could ensue. It increased the excitement and fun of 
the voters, and the result was generally the same as if no 
such extreme methods had l)een ado})ted. 

Society showed some curious features during those primi- 
tive times. People came here from all parts of the east and 
south, and brought to the common stock, the habits, laws, 
customs, notions of religion and methods of business prevail- 
ing at their old homes. The bracing air and lioundless 
prairies around them expanded their minds and hearts. If 
they brought with them littleness of soul, they were soon 
seen to be forgetting narrow and selfish views of life and 
developing generosity and nobility of character. As in all 
new and thinly settled countries, the people V)ecame accjuaint- 
ed and fi'iendly, and their social and l)usiness intercourse, 
though sharp, was not often tinged with meanness. If a 
family was in distress, its neighbors gave relief if they could. 
They had probably been there themselves. Settlers might 
differ with each other on politics and perhaps feel justly sore 
over a land or horse trade, but if one were sick or hard up. 
his neighbors forgot i)ast differences and V)ecame unselhsh 
and generous. 

A Nebraska man might wink at an attempt to steal a 
county seat, but he would strictly stand by his friends and 
insist on fair play for the community in which he lived, re- 
dress their wrongs with i)romptness and vigor, and if the 
courts were lax, as was often the case, he would not hesi- 
tate in extreme cases of wrong doing, to usurp the functions 
of the highest tribunals. 

Such was frontier life during the infancy of Dixon County 
as well as elsewhere in Nebraska. Though the country was 
thinly settled and its wealth could excite neither vanity noi- 
envy, the jn'ople. even with all their privations, had many 
grounds for contentment. Nearly every one had good health. 
Occasional good ci'o[)s and prohtable ventures sustained am- 
bition. In this })rolitic iitmosphere the often advent of heirs 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 13 

increased the joy of hoiisehold.s and helped to swell the cen- 
sus. No man or woman gave special heed to fashion l)ooks 
or to the cut of their garments. There were no bickerings, 
l)ack-l)itings or jealousies. All were equally rich and equally 
poor. As a consequence early settlers were, in the main, a 
harmonious l)rotherhood, and now are worthy of the remem- 
In'ance and respect of those who follow them. 



14 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



CHAPTER II. 

The Organization of the Territory of Nebraska The 
First White Settlers in Dixon County and the Relin- 
quishment OF Indian Claims Names, Dates of Arrival 

AND WHERE FROM, AS NEAR AS CAN BE ASCERTAINED OF 

Pioneers from the First Arrival in May, 1S5H, to the 
Time when Dixon County was Organized in the Fall 

OF 1S5S. 

Ill iSO:). the coiiiitrv which is now the state of Nebraska, 
was a part of the province of Louisiana and under the domin- 
ion of France. In 1S54, this country, (which durin^^ the in- 
terval between 1S08 and 1854, had been ceded to the United 
States and had successively l)eeii part of the territories of 
Louisiana and Missouri,) was organized by an act of congress, 
as the territory of Nebraska. As thus organized. Nebraska 
territory was of vast dimensions, including not only the pres- 
ent state of Nebraska but also the great region to the north 
and west now occupied 1)y the Dakotas. Wyoming and Mon- 
tana. 

Prior to the formation of Nebraska territory in bsr)4, as 
well as for two years afterwards, that part of it now known 
as Dixon County had never had a permanent white settler. 
(Indeed, white settlers in Nebraska were few and far between 
in those early times, there l)eing in the whole territory in 
1855 only al)out 8,50(1.) From time to time, people had jiass- 
ed througli on their way to the far west, or had visited it to 
purchase furs of the Indians or for the perilous excitement 
of hunting and trapping on Indian lands. In 1S47 and the 
following year several large companies of Mormons went 
across the country on their way to Salt Lake, and their 
various routes, the "Old Mormon Trails" as they are now 
called, liai-d and worn like turnpikes and dcNoid of grass, are 
in many places })lain to l)e seen. 

This country, then claimed by the Indians, was a region 
little known and its reputation as being a i)art of tlie "(Treat 



HISTORY OF DIXON tXJUNTY, NEBRASKA. 15 

American Desert" rendered it far from inviting to settlers. 
Soon after the territory was organized, the Omaha Indians 
ceded to the government a large part of their lands west of 
the Missouri amounting to about 4S5 square miles. This 
great tract embraced what is now known as Dakota county 
and extended up the river to Aoway Creek (now known as 
South Creek,) in Dixon County. West of that creek and be- 
tween it and Fort Randall, the country was claimed by the 
Ponca Indians. Hence a pioneer could by virtue of the 
treat\' with the Omahas. come in peace and safety up the 
country as far as the Aoway, but to cross that stream and go 
farther into the promised land laid him liable to incur the 
high displeasure of the Poncas. Such Indian title was often 
disputed by pioneers, who, looking across the Aoway and 
seeing l)eautiful valleys and plains beyond, longed to cross 
and in fact often did cross and braving opposition, occupy 
claims on the forl)idden ground. This disputed region was 
as yet unsurveyed, and the uncertainty of title and the pres- 
ence of the copper colored majority naturally unfriendly 
under the circumstances rendered the position of the ven- 
turesome pioneers anything Init pleasant or secure. Fortun- 
ately this insecure and chaotic condition of things lasted but 
a couple of years, and when Dixon County was organized in 
1S5.S, all differences between the whites and the Ponca In- 
dians had been happily settled by the latter ceding to the 
general government all claim to land west of the Aoway ex- 
cepting a tract west of the Niobrara river, to which reserva- 
tion they soon after removed. 

Dakota county which was organized in IS55, (three years 
l)efore Dixon County.) was bounded on the west l)y the line 
between ranges 5 and B. Thus, as will be see nby reference 
to the map, Ponca and Ponca township as well as a strip run- 
ning north and south and three miles wide, now embraced 
in Dixon County, was at the start apart of Dakota county. 

The first white people who made homes in wdiat after- 
wards l)ecame Dixon County, came in May, 1856, and an in- 
creasing tide of pioneers rapidly followed. The first settle- 
ments were at or near Ponca and from thence extended up 
South Creek and West Creek. In the main they came from 
the eastern states, and were hardy, resolute and industrious 
men, else they would not have come. They had their pick 



K; history of DIXON COITNTY, NI:BRASKA. 

of the lands and selected wisely. They were mostly poor 
but to their joy they found rich land and a genial idimate. 
Here they l)uilt their homes, cultivated their lands and reared 
their families, it was a venture, thus entering a new and 
almost unknown country, hut their faith was well founded 
aiul though the road to wealth has been long and not one of 
entire snushine, yet as they now look back over it and see 
how the start was and how things are now. none can say 
they are not content. 

We have endeavored to obtain the names of all who came 
here from the first settlement to the time the county w^as 
organized and the first election of officers was held in the 
fall of 1.S5S. Between May, lS5(i, and the year 1S5S. there 
was no organization, no surveys of land, nothing in fact but 
a sort of ''squatter sovereignty," and the uncertainty of the 
future and the possibility of losing all the fruits of their in- 
dustry, required the pioneers to be men of unbounded hope 
and perseverance. That they came and renuiined rendered 
them worthy of remembrance. Hence we have prepared a 
list of those pioneers, desiring not to omit a single one. Pos- 
sil)ly there may be three or four omissions. l)ut there cannot 
be more. To ol)tain this list of names, where they came 
from, when they came and where they located in the county, 
we have l)een compelled to rely on the memory of those old 
pioneers who now remain. The help especially of Messrs. S. 
B. Stough. C. V. Putnam. A. Davis, L. T. Hill and N. S. Porter, 
has been invaluable, and theirexcellent memories of pioneers 
and |)ioneer days, have enabled us to accompdish far more 
than we had at hrst expected. 

'J'he following is the list referred to. Immediately after 
the name of each pioneer will follow the name of the place he 
came from, the date of his arrival and where he located. In 
many instances, however, information has been scanty as to 
su(di dates, etc.. and in some cases we have been able to give 
only the names: 

Kdwaru Arnold, Massachusetts. May 7. iSoT. ( Was father 
of the second child born in county, viz.: Wm. Arnold, Feb. 
1 . I S5S. ) First located west of M. Gorman's place between 
Ponca and Martinsl)urg. Was first clerk of county, elected in 
fall of 1S5.S. 

James Alexanokk. Iowa. December, '-")(). 



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HISTORY OF DIXUN COUMTY, MEBKAHKA. 17 

Robert Alexander, Iowa, December, '5(). 

Thomas Alexander, Iowa, December, '5(>. 

Sam Alexander, Iowa, December. '56, went to Pike's Peak 
in 'no. The Alexanders located on Powder Creek. 

C. Andrews, Ohio, '57, located on Ionia l)ottoni. 

J. P. Allison, Ohio, '57, located in what is now Silver 
Creek Township, on the farm where C. F. Putnam lives. 

J. W. Bramble. Vermont, came in fall of "5(i, moved up 
his store from Logan in spring of '57. 

S. P. Baltzly, '57. 

Oliver Baltzly. '57. 

B. Beeson, Iowa, spring of '57, located in Ionia, bottonL 

Wm. BiCtLEY, Sr., and his sons, 

Wm. Bigley. Jr., and 

James Bigley, came from Pennsylvania in fall of '5(). 
located near Ponca in South Creek valley, on farm now 
owned by the family. 

Parker B. Brown, Massachusetts. August, '5(), took claim 
on South Creek. 

George Brown, Massachusetts, August, '5(>, took claim on 
South Creek. 

E. M. BiSBEE. New York, spring of '5S, Ponca. 

James Barrett, New York, '5.S, Ponca. 

Charles BucKMAN,Pennsylvania,May.'5(). vicinity of Ponca. 

J. P. BURGMAN. '57. 

M. B. Bellows, '5S, settled near Lime Creek. 
John Buntz, Pennsylvania, May, '56, near Ponca. 
Jacob Bitwtz, Pennsylvania. May, '56, nearPoncn. 

0. BOTTLESON, '57. 

E. Baker, '5(). 

James Clark, Ohio. August. '5(), located on West Creek. 

Gerhart Carstines, May, '56, near Ponca. 

A. CiiRRY, from Philadelphia, Pa., came May 7, 1.S57, set- 
tled on South Creek, where Harry Filley now lives. In LS60 
moved to his i)resent location on West Creek, five miles west 
of Ponca. 

John Cavanagh came from Holioke, Mass., and arrived 
May 7, LS57, took claim near head of South Creek, as also 
did his son, Bernard Cavanagh, wdio came from the same 
place with him. 



IH HISTOUY OF DiXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Carson, Iuwh, an uncle of ■"Kit" Carson. He came with 
Frank West in August, 1S5B, to lay out Ponca. 

C. B, CuMMiNos, fall of '5(5, located near Dixon on Lime 
Creek and was one of the founders of that town. 

Louis Castner, came down the Missouri from Fort Ben- 
ton in spring of '57. 

John Carpenter and his))rother. New York. '57. settled at 
North Bend. 

Hugh Compton, New York, '57, settled near North Bend. 

L. Cross, Vermont, '57. took claim near Tonia. 

Doc CoNKLiNG, Ohio, started saw mill at Dixon in 1S57. 

F. Dailey, Massachusetts, spring of '57, tirst settler in 
Daily valley. 

Jacob Duel, New York, '57, settled near North l^end. 

Leander Davis, New York, in spring of '5S. first settled 
on West Creek, six miles west of Ponca. Same year moved 
to Ponca. 

M. DeLoughry, Ohio. May 7. 1.S57. settled on South (Jreek. 

Deming, Pennsylvania. May 7, 1S57, located on South 
Creek. Moved away in '5S. 

D. Donnelly. '5(). South Creek. 

Daniel Donlin. June '5(>. located where his son, Wm. 
Donlin, now resides near Martins))urg. Said son was the 
first white child horn in county, August 5, 1S57. 

P. Dempsey came from (Hrard. Erie county. Pa.. '57, tirst 
located up South I'reek. Afterwards removed to West 
Creek. 

Dexter, Oliio. a hrotlier-in-law of F. Freeman, came in 
fall of '5(). He was a i)artner of Wliitcome in the hrst saw 
mill near Ponca. 

Donahue took claim u[) South Creek in '57. 

J. B. Denton, New York, '57, near Ionia. Was tirst judge 
of county, elected in fall of 1S5S. 

John Ernst, Pennsylvania. '5(). Ponca. 

Francis Freeman. Oiiio, fall of .51). located at Hrst on 
claim near river, afterwards removeil to Ponca. 

Henry Ford, Pennsylvania, spring of '5(). 

Nathan Felter, Illinois, '57, Ponca. 

Wm. Fister (or I'fistek,) Pennsylvania, '57. The farm he 
located and lived on up to the time of his death is two miles 
soutliwest of New Castle. 



HIHTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 19 

Farwell. Illinois, 'r)S, C'oncord. 

Henry Forth, spriiiu- of '5<), took claim on creek east of 
Ponca. 

Abe Forney, Illinois, spring of '57, located in South Creek. 

Henry A. Fuller, New York, fall of '56, was one of 
Ponca's town proprietors in company with Dr. Stough and 
Frank West. Fuller moYed away in '(>-] and now resides in 
Omaha. 

Harry Filley. 

Michael (Iillan and his son, Wm. Gillan, came from 
Pennsylvania in Novemlier, '5(i. Wm. Gillan now lives on 
land near Martinsburg, then taken. Started from Pennsyl- 
vania day after election, when they voted for Buchanan. 

Murtha Gorman, Pennsylvania, '56, South Creek, between 
Ponca and Martinsl)nrg, and about five miles from Ponca. 

Pat Green and his sons, Thomas Green and Pat Green, 
Jr., arrived May 7, LS57, from Taunton, Mass. They took 
a claim adjoining what was afterwards known as the "Win- 
ston place," three miles south of Ponca. 

J. H. S. Grove, Pennsylvania, '57, near Ponca. 

J. GuiLBERsoN, '5S. at Dixon. 

Henry Hoese, 

Frank Hoese and 

Wm. Hoese came in '56 from Pennsylvania. They ])uilt 
the first house in Ponca in fall of '56, near creek. 

Dan Hannafon, '56, located up South Creek. Was thought 
to be too free with neighl)ors' cattle. Left in two years to 
the joy of all. 

Preston Hotchkiss and 

Kli Hotchkiss, in '5() from Ohio, came with the W^hit- 
comes, and Preston Hotchkiss had an interest in Whitcome's 
mill near Ponca. 

R. M. Hotchkiss, Iowa, spring '57, located in what is call- 
ed Brookey's Bottom in northwestern part of county. 

J. C. Harrington, Massachusetts, '57, Ponca. 

Richard Haggin, Iowa, '57, located near Dixon. Was the 
second sheriff of the county. 

Thos. Halverson, Wisconsin, spring of '57, lived in Big- 
ley's revine. 

L. HouTEN, '57. 

F. Harder. New York, '5S, village carpenter of Ponca. 



20 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

John Haggin, Iowa, '57, Dixon. 

Z. Haggin, Iowa, '57, near Dixon. 

0. F. Haggin, Iowa, '57, near Dixon. 

Frank Jordan, New York, '58, located near Ponca; came 
with Leander Davis. 

Bill Jones, in spring of '57: lived up Sonth Creek way. 
The hrst (and last) bnifalo ever killed in comity was killed 
in fall of '57 by Jones and Forney. There were plenty of elk 
in those days, but buffalo meat was a rarity. 

Isaac Kugler, Pennsylvania, came with hrst party of 
settlers in May, '56; located near Ponca. 

Abraham Kneiss, Iowa, '58; took claim near Bigley's 
ravine. 

Marcellus Lathrop, in August, '56, from Massachusetts; 
located on West Creek, on land west of the Todd place, now 
owned l)y lioden. 

IjA Fabre, '57; located near New Castle. 

Eli LoYDand 

Cyrus Loyd, came in "5r) from Pennsylvania and left in 
'57; Ponca. 

J. W. Logan, '57; near Dixon. 

John McKinley, came from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
and arrived May 7, 1857; hrst located in South Creek valley, 
then removed to farm now owned by Sam. McKinley two 
miles west of A. Curry's place, and from there to farm where 
he now resides, adjoining Ponca on the west. 

John Malone, '57. 

Wm. Malone, '57, and 

Peter Malone, '5(>, from Hanging ilock, Ohio, and hrst 
located on Powder Creek, where Dan Curry now lives. John 
Malone was hrst treasurer of county, elected in fall of '58. 

J. Murphy, Massachusetts, '57; South Creek valley. 

Daniel McKenna, Pennsylvania, '5(); took claim in South 
Creek valley. 

Robert McKenna, Pennsylvania, '5(). 

MuLHOLLAND, '56; ucar North Bend. 

Michael McCue, '58; near Ponca. 

John Massingef^, New York. '57. 

John Mascall and 

Zeb. Mascall. located on liiuH^ Creek in "5(). John Mas- 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 31 

call resided there until 'U4 and then removed to Vermillion, 
Sonth Dakota. 

MoNs Nelson, '5{); near North Bend. 

E. Nelson, '5S; North Bend. 

James O'Conner, 

John O'Conner and 

Andy O'Conner, from Massachusetts in '5(). They hrst 
located on the extreme southern frontier of settlement in 
county, about two miles south of Cavanaghs, They after- 
wards moved to places between Ponca and New Castle. 

Charles V. Putnam, Massachusetts, August 1, bsr>(), 
located near Ponca on West Creek. First sheriff of county, 
elected in fall of '58. Built first frame house in county in 
fall of '57 on the claim he took, section S, township 80, 
range (1 J. (1. Crowell now owns place. 

N. S. Porter, New York, June 27, 1S5S, located in Ponca. 

— Pewitt, '57, at North Bend. 
J. J. Pierce and his son 

H. M. Pierce, came from Davenport, Iowa, in the spring 
of '5S, and located at Ionia. 

H. Paschall, Pennsylvania, sjjring of '5(). On creek east 
of Ponca. 

John Roden, fall of "5(); located where he now lives, 
three miles west of Ponca on New Castle road. 

E. Kicker, Vermont, '51); owned the Jeff Wilbur place 
near Ponca. 

Frank Picker, Vermont, '5(r, Ponca. 

R. Rogers came from Pennsylvania to Dakota county in 
'5fi, and moved to Ponca in '57; was the village l)lacksmith. 

John Russell, '5S, near Dixon. 

M. Russell, '5S, near Dixon. 

- Robinson, '5S, North Bend. 

John Stough, Pennsylvania, Novein])er, '5B. Ponca. 

Dr. S. B. Stough, from Pennsvlvania, came August 
18, 1S5(), Ponca. 

Jacob Stough. Pennsylvania. October. '57, Ponca. 

Maurice Scollard, and his nephews, viz: 

John Scollard, and 

Pat Scollard, came from Pennsylvania in '5(), located 
between Ponca and Martinsburg. 

Edward Serry, from Massachusetts, in *5(), and moved 



22 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

his family here ill T)?. liocated on West Creek, a mile west 
of where Roden now lives. Place now owned by Rogosh. 

Philip Sherman. Wisconsin. '57, Ponca. Stayed till '51) 
and went to Oregon. 

Hans Stinson, Wisconsin, "57. near Ponca. 

J. SouTHERLAND. Illinois. 57. located at North Bend. 
Was the wealthiest settler in the country at that time. 

Elias Shook, Iowa, '5S, lived in Ponca. 

Yankee Smith, New York. '57, between Ponca and New 
Castle. 

John Singelton, Ohio, summer of '57, was engineer of 
Conkling's mill at Dixon. Left in '59. 

IcH. Sherman, Wisconsin, '57, Ponca. 

John Snyder, Pennsylvania, spring of '5(), took claim up 
South Creek. 

Adam Smith, Pennsylvania, came in May '5(). was with 
hrst party who entered county. Took the land now owned 
by Will. O'Connor, (half a mile sontli of Ponca). who bought 
it of Smith in 'lU. Mr. Smith now resides in Missouri. 

(tustavus Smith, brother-in-law ot the Hoeses, came 
from Chicago in the spring of '57, took the claim now com- 
prising part of New Castle village. He lived there until his 
death. July 27. ISSO. 

John Sader, Pennsylvaniii, "57. located al)out a mile west 
of New Castle, between there and the Fister place. 
Smathers lives on the place now. 

Owen Sweeney. Pennsylvania, spring of "57. located near 
the "'Lone Tree" in the Daily valley. 

J. Stefanni, spring of '57, located on Ionia- bottom. 

C. W. Todd, \ erniont, spring of '5S, located on West 
Creek, two and a half miles west of Ponca. 

W. Tripp, located in '57 near Ionia. 

V. \ AZANNi, '57. neai- Dixon on Ijinie Creek. 

Frank West. Iowa, came in August, "5(). laid out first 
twenty-four blocks of Ponca that fall. Was there part of the 
time for several yeai-s, now lives in Des Moines, Iowa. 

Mr. Whitcomb and his two sons, Josiah Whitcomb and 
Frank Wliitcomb, IVoiii Ohio, came in fall of "5(). located on 
river ))()ttom iioiiheast of Ponca. where the)' put up the Hrst 
steam mill in coiintv. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 23 

— Whitcomb, t'ousiiiofJosiali and Frank Wliitcoinl), came 
at same time, located on adjoining land. 

P. J. Winston, Pennsylvania, '57, Sontli Creek. 

E. P. Webster, Massachnsetts, '57, one and one-half miles 
west of Ponca. 

J. P. Webster, Massachnsetts, '57, near Ponca. 

Eugene Wilbur, New York, '5S, located in Ionia bottom. 

A. White, '57, Ionia bottom. 

Richard Zack, '57, near Dixon. 

(Mention is made of Dixon and Concord. These are not 
the present villages of those names, but were in what is now 
Hooker Township, ) 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



CHAPTEK I IT. 

Particulars and Experiences of First Settlement of 
County — The Rapid and Increasing Tide of Pioneers 
— The Birth of Ponca Paper Towns and the Town- 
site Business in 1856 and 1S57 — Concord, North Bend, 
Dixon and Ionia The Desire for County Organiza- 
tion Attending Election at St. Johns The First 
(trasshopper Raid Seen by the Pioneers — Organiza- 
tion OF County and Location of County Seat — First 
Election of County Officers. 
As appears from the list in the foregoing chapter, a good 
sized crowd of settlers made homes, in 1S5B, 1S57 and 1S5S, 
in the conntry which afterwards became Dixon Connty. The 
list contains abont one hundred and fifty names, many of them 
heads of families, and represent not less than two hundred 
and fifty or three hundred persons. 

It will l)e noticed by looking ov^er the names and dates of 
settlement, that the first party of settlers arrived May 1), isr)(). 
a little over thirty-nine years ago. They camped the hrst 
night on the south bank of Aoway Creek, and but a stone's 
throw from where Ponca now is. 

They had a right to come that far under the treaty made 
the year before with the Omahas, but could not legally cross 
to the north side of the creek, as there the Ponca Indians 
still held sway. The party consisted of Adam Smith and 
wife, Henry Paschal, Henry Ford, Charles Buckman, Mrs. 
Buckman, John Buntz, Cerhart Carstines, Isaac Kugler and 
wife and John Snyder, most of whom were from Pennsyl- 
vania. They selected their lands near each other for mutual 
protection and company, Mr. Smith taking land which is now 
the farm of Wm. O'Connor half a mile south of Ponca. and 
the others making claims in his neighl)orhood up and down 
the creek, being careful, however, not to encroach on the 
adjacent hostile territory. 

The above, whose names are especially mentioned ))ecause 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 35 

they were the first in the county and who properly divided 
the title of "hrst settler" between them, were soon followed 
by others. For a few months not many cared to 
incur the hostility of the Poncas, and cross the Aoway. But 
as time went on, settlers became less fearful, and occasional- 
ly one would venture over the boundary and take possession 
of one hundred and sixty or three hundred and twenty acres, 
(generally the latter,) as near as could be guessed at, the 
lands not yet having been surveyed. For safety, the settlers, 
whether located on government or Indian land, organized a 
"squatters club," so called, which assumed to protect its 
members in their claims and to settle any disputes which 
might arise. The meetings of the squatters were held at 
the house of Adam Smith and for about two years were the 
only dispensers of law and order in the country. They ran 
things about as equitably and fairly as one could expect. 

Crimes in those days were rare, and the fact that no 
courts, dilatory motions or rules of law^ could interfere l)e- 
tween an offender and his deserved punishment, had a ten- 
dency to keep things straight. We venture to say that leg- 
islatures and courts of justice of the present day could with 
proht study the law making and law enforcing squatter 
government of our predecessors thirty-nine years ago. 

From the first start in May, the rush of pioneers rapidly 
increased and soon became very great. Favorable reports of 
the country were sent back by the settlers to their old homes 
in the East and there incited the "Nebraska fever" to rage 
and grow\ All now know how attractive this country is in 
the spring and summer. The grass covered and flower be- 
decked prairies, hills and valleys, the trees and vines, the 
Italian sky and genial sun, all these radiant beauties peculiar 
to this country and climate presented a picture strongly in 
contrast with what eastern people had been accustomed to 
see. Hence the desire became almost universal to come. 
Not all could come, indeed not many when compared with 
the whole, but all longed to see a country where dingy fogs 
and bottomless mud were unknown and where farms equal- 
ling those of the Mohawk valley could be had for the asking. 
Prominent with the throng which came during the sum- 
mer and fall of 1H56, may be mentioned Dr. Stough, John 
Roden, James Clark, Marcellus Lathrop, George Brown. C. 



26 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

F. Putnam, John Stough, Henry, Frank and William Hoese. 
the Malones, the Scollards, the(Tormans,the Clillans, McKen- 
nas, O'Conners, etc. The attractive valleys of South Creek 
and West Creek soon began tilling up, and in the choicest 
locations were seen the homes of settlers and fields coming 
under the dominion of the breaking plow^. 

In August, (1S56), Frank West and Mr. Carson came up 
from Sioux City. Like those vs^ho came l)efore them they 
saw the ominous sign which one Charley Rulo, a half breed, 
had put up on the bank of the Aoway, warning 
settlers not to cross under the penalty of being 
fired back by the Ponca Indians. Nevertheless, 
W^est kicked aside the threathening notice, and with 
Carson crossed the Rubicon to where Ponca City now is. In 
the October following. West platted the first twenty-four 
blocks of this place and named it Ponca, after the Indian tribe. 

Frank West, who took so prominent a part in the starting 
of Ponca was quite a rustler in his way. He was the son of 
a banker at Des Moines, Iowa, and had unlimited nerve, 
plenty of money and a large number of friends. He had 
various town site projects, one of which was Niobrara, and in 
that business was generally successful. He was an expert 
marksman and a great Indian fighter, and in the Niobrara 
country and south and east of there his name was a terror 
to the Pawnees and Poncas. 

In lS5(i, the town site business was extensively followed, 
and in the hands of speculators like West was made very 
profita1)le. It did not much matter whether buildings were 
erected or anything else was done, except to survey out and 
number the lots and l)locks, drive the stakes, give names to 
the streets and make and record the map. Then the pro- 
prietor would [)e in a position to sell his lots and gather in 
from credulous eastern people of wealth a golden harvest. 
The scheme generally resulted profitably to the lot sellers. 
A beautiful map of an alleged town, with pictures of churches, 
opera houses and elegant residences nicely shown on the 
margin, was attractive, and many were bitten by their anx- 
iety to purchase lots, the price of which seemed to them 
dog cheap. As an ijistuiice. the towusite of Curlew in Cedar 
county, Neb., was probably the most glaring and successful 
fraud of all the fiftv or more town sites in the river counties 



HISTORY OF DIXON CX)UNTY, NEBRASKA. 27 

of Northern Nebraskii. (Jnrlew hiid ten thousand h)ts, and 
it never had a house then or since. 

But thioui^h houseless, its fascinating map and pictures, 
demonstrating the tremendous growth and importance of 
the place, gave the lots a rapid sale in New York and other 
eastern cities. Its ten thousand lots brought to its proprie- 
tors not less than $150,0(H). It was that sort of townsite 
speculation which generally prevailed in Nebraska, in 
1S5() and 1S57. Whether Ponca was or was not started by 
J\ir. West for purposes of speculation in the east, or with the 
object of making more than a paper town, cannot be told, 
but whatever the intent may have been at the hrst, the ad- 
mirable location, the unfailing water power, the protecting 
hills and the presence of a vast body of valuable timber 
on one side and innumeral)le acres of rich land on the 
other, soon showed that this would, in earnestness and 
truth, l)ecome a real and permanent town. 

In the spring of 1S57 the balance of the town, comprising 
in all three hundred and twenty acres was platted by Messrs. 
Stough and Fuller. The land had not yet, however, been 
surveyed by government and not until after such survey 
were Stough and Fuller enalded to perfect their plat so as to 
make it haruKmize with the lines of the government sur- 
veyor. Such completion of the map was made May 5, 
IS5S, and the same was duly hied in Dakota county clerk's 
office, June 15th. of that year. 

In the neighborhood of Ponca, other towns were also 
staked out in the fall of ISJf). On the hills a short distance 
southeast of Ponca the rival cities of St. Paul and Addison 
were surveyed, and being on land south of the creek where 
the title was not disputed by the Indians, it was thought 
that one of them would take precedence as the coming 
town, instead of Ponca. But nothing more than the platting, 
was done in behalf of St. Paul or Addisf)n and they both soon 
became settlers' farms. 

During that fall also, a town was started near where 
Lime Creek enters the Missouri river, in the northwestern 
part of the county, by Messrs. Muholland and Cummings. and 
by them given the name of Concord, and another embryo city, 
North Bend, was located a mile north of Concord, by Jacob 
Duel and two or thre? others. Afterwards, in 1S5S, North 



28 HISTORY (3F DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Bend and Concord wei'e each desirous of becoming the coun- 
ty seat of the new county, and their antagonism toward each 
other resulted in the phitting of a paper town, Dixon, ])e- 
tween them, thereby uniting the whole as one. 

In 1856, also, parties living in Sioux City located Ionia 
town site, building no houses, however, nor doing anything 
to hold the claim. In 1S5S Ionia came into the possession 
of L. T. Hill, in whose hands it had prosperous growth for 
several years, but in 1S7S the Missouri changed its channel 
and raided the town, and the ground on which it stood was 
washed away, together with its improvements and hopes for 
greatness. Accounts of those early towns. Concord, North 
Bend, Dixon and Ionia will be more fully given elsewhere. 

As to Ponca, it did not at Hrst grow very rapidly, and it 
remained a town only on paper until late in the fall of 1S56, 
when Messrs. Henry, Frank and William Hoese built the 
hrst house. It was a comfortable log building one story 
high and was located near the creek. No farther advance 
was made until the next year. The country was growing 
faster than the town, a condition of things always taken as 
a healthy sign. 

In December, "Old Man \V hitcomb," as he was called, his 
sons and a partner (Dexter) and two assistants (Preston and 
Hotchkiss) came from Ohio and brought with them a steam 
saw mill which they located on the Missouri river l)ottom. a. 
mile below Ponca landing. This, the hrst mill in this part 
of the countr\', suggested the possibility in the near future 
of houses of boards instead of logs, and hence was deemed 
an establishment of much importance to the settlers. 
Whitcom))'s mill did a prosperous business for several years 
and eventually a small run of burs was added to it for grind- 
ing corn, so that the laborious task of grinding out a grist in 
a coft'ee mill which had been the general custom, became a 
thing of the past. 

In the spring of 1S57 the second house in Ponca was put 
up by Stough bi-othci-s and the third by H. A. Fuller and 
John Cavanagh. In -lime a store building, (a })retentioiis, 
one story structure. !(> b\ 4(» f(n>t). was erected by Mr. Bram- 
ble, and soon after a house and shop by Mr. Rogers, the vil- 
lage blacksmith. All were built of logs, and in fact log 
houses were all they had in the count v until the fall of 1S57, 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 29 

when C. F. Putnain l)uilt a frame house on his farm. The 
first frame l)iiildinu: in Ponca was commenced in 1H5<S by 
Mr. Whitcomb, and finished in 1S59. It was designed for a 
hotel and was qnite large, and its two tall stories loomed up 
with metropolitan dignity. No one ev^er occupied it any 
great length of time, although people stopped there tempor- 
arily for want of better quarters, and during a few" weeks in 
LS59 Preston Hotchkiss used it as a hotel. Its emptiness ex- 
cept on special occasions and its general creaky and rattle- 
trap condition gave it the name of the "Old Air Castle." 
Despite its name, however, the "Air Castle" was quite a use- 
ful building during its existence. Here were held religious 
and political meetings, elections. deV)ating societies, probate 
courts, Indian shows and pul)lic gatherings of all kinds. 
But in the course of time the Imilding without care or re- 
pairs went into decline, and during the winter of 18(52, when 
the soldiers stored in it a few loads of corn, its floor fell 
down and collapse and chaos ended its career. 

In 1S57 and 1S5S the circle of settlement continued to 
widen and extend. Of those arriving up to the close of 1S5S 
it has been very difhciilt and many instances impossil)le to 
obtain full particulars. Among the few who now reside in 
the county are Dr. S. B. Stough, John Stough. Jacob Stough. 
John McKinley and N. 8. Porter, of Ponca city; P. Dempsey, 
of Silver Creek township; C. F. Putnam, of Ponca township; 
John Roden, Bernard Cavanagh. John Maskall. Alexander 
Cuiry and John Malone. These comprise nearly all who re- 
nrdin out of the one hundred and hfty who came in those 
hrst three years. During the long interval l^etween then 
and now. death has removed many from the country which 
their enterprise helped to subdue. Among them are Judge 
Arnold. John Cavanagh. William and James Bigley and 
their father, P. J. Winston, E. M. Bisl)ee, Francis Freeman, 
Edward Serry. James and Robert Alexander, Gustavus 
Smith, the founder of New Castle; Michael Gillan. Murtha 
Gorman, Maurice Scollard. William Pfister. John Sader and 
P. Dailey. There are of course many others. Some of the 
early settlers, after remaining a few years, moved away and 
are spending useful lives in other places. Of the more 
prominent, Messrs. Fuller and West, once town proprietors 
of Ponca. now reside, the former in Omaha and the latter in 



•50 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Des Moines, Iowa. L. T. Hill, the tatlier of the once pros- 
perous but now defunct town of Ionia, is a citizen of Cali- 
fornia, and D. T. Bramble, who kept the first store in Ponca, 
removed many years ago to Yankton. And the Hoeses, 
Adam Smith, James Barrett. Leander Davis and a host more 
have gone, so that by death and removal, as well as by the 
constant additions of new comers, one who only knew the 
country and people in lS5(i-7-S, would now, if here, find him- 
self almost a stranger in a strange land. 

The number of those who came here in 1S57 was much 
greater than in 1S5(). In ISoT the Indians assigned their 
claims to the country and it was surveyed and lu-ought into 
market and the uncertainties as to title and })()ssession no 
longer gave trouble. This year, also, there was plenty to 
do, breaking land, building houses, barns and fences, and 
labor was in great demand at high prices. 

These considerations, together with the promise of good 
crops encouraged everylxxly. The general prosperity and 
the rapid increase of population aroused, during the sum- 
mer, the ambition of settlers to have a county organization. 
Ponca, then in Dakota county, luit in the northwestern 
corner of it, hoped to be taken into the new county, as its 
future in such a new deal, would become more promising. 
With these ambitious desires in view, the Ponca people at 
an election, held August 8. iSoT, brought forward Dr. S. B. 
Stough as their candidate for the territorial legislature. 
Their voting place had been previously and was that year at 
St. Johns, a town al)()ut a mile north of Jackson. St. Johns, 
though now extinct, was then the largest town in Dakota 
county and of so much importance that it had recently been 
nearly successful in an effort to become the county seat in 
place of Dakota City. In such effort St. Johns received a 
majority of the votes but not two-thirds, and that being the 
number recpiired. Dakota City continued to hold the fort. 
St. Johns did not want Ponca to go into a new county, as it 
would then make the location of the former too far to one 
side, and thereby in any future struggle for county seat, be 
apt to defeat its efforts. On the contrary for the same 
reasons, residents in the eastern part of Dakota county were 
anxious to be rid of Ponca and territory enough on the west 
to bring Dakota City near the center and thus assure its 



HIHTOKV OF DIXOJS COUJSTV, NEBRASKA. iU 

destiny forever as a ('oiiiity seat. Heiiee Dakota City and 
Poiica joined hands to elect Dr. Stougli to the legislatnre. 
knowin^j- that his election would result in the desired law 
and would he henehcial to hoth. 

At this election, the last at which Ponca had to go away 
from home to vote, twenty-seven of Ponca's citizens piled 
into C. F. Putnam's hig hay wagon and went down to St. 
Johns. The voters of St. Johns objected to their voting, 
and much eloquent wind was expended on both sides. The 
St. Johns folks challenged the right of the Poncaites to 
come there to vote and made threats of black eyes and 
possible annihilation. In fact there wei-e two or three 
moderate tights, and both sides had coats off and decks 
cleared for action, and there would have been a desperate 
scrimmage had it not been ff)r Father Tracy, the Catholic 
priest. He ([uieted the uproar and poured oil on the 
troubled waters. The men fi'om Ponca put in their votes 
and tried their best for Dr. Stough. Dakota City helped all 
it could. l)ut there were not enough votes, all told, to elect 
him. Hence the new county project was knocked in 
head for that year. 

Misfortunes come in pairs. That truth was demonstrated 
on the same day their election resulted so disastrously. 
Their second misfortune was a grasshopper raid, something 
the settlers had never seen before. Late in the afternoon as 
the hay wagon with its twenty-seven closely packed voters 
was returning from St. Johns to Ponca, a phenomenon 
was seen entirely new to them. It was a great, dark 
cloud rapidly appi'oaching from the north. As it came near, 
they saw it was not a rain or dust cloud, and it was 
thought to be composed of a great collection of cottonwood 
seeds floating together high in air. When near them, part of 
the cloud came to the ground and Putnam and Hoese 
(diml)ed down from the wagon and made examination. 

The new visitations resembled the eastern grasshopper 
somewhat, and as]\Iessrs. Putnam and Hoese had often heard 
of the dreaded western variety, they readily determined as 
to what they were. 

When the party arrived in Ponca, they found a sorry state 
of affairs. The 'hoppers, innumerable hosts of them, had 
come down and were l)usy eating the gardens and corn fields. 



•62 HItSTUKV OF DiXUN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

They did not stay long, bnt dili^-ently improved their time. 

Out of this grasshopper raid grew a lawsuit the next day. 
One, Henniphon, residing up South Creek way, and said to 
have an inordinate love for his neighbors' property, came 
before the Squatters Clul), and claimed that the cattle of 
William Jones had destroyed his corn. A committee con- 
sisting of Messrs. Forney, Hoese and Harrington, accom- 
panied by Putnam as Sheriff, went out to Henniphon's place 
to examine the held. They saw no cattle tracks but found 
plenty of evidence that the damage had l)een done by 
the all devouring 'hoi)pers, and that hence the cause of action 
was beyond the jurisdiction of the S(|uatter Court. This 
little lawsuit episode had for the time, diverted the atten- 
tion of the settlers from an examination of their own helds. 
But the sight of Henniphon's demolished crop, opened their 
eyes to the tremendous strength and industry of a grass- 
hopper's jaws, and the\' made haste with jnany forebodings, 
to investigate. They found that this hrst grasshopper visit, 
tbough short, had wi])ed out the growing crops of every one 
of them. During the balance of the fall the new county 
project was subw-dinate in all minds to the question as to 
what they would have to eat the coming winter. Really, 
the loss was not "reat, as only about two hundred and 
seventy-hve acres were in crops that year, but it was all the 
people had and though now-a-days the loss of ten times that 
amount would cut no figure, then it was a most serious 
matter and foreshadowed hungry days. 

Nor were the fears ill founded. With \S')S hard tim(\^ 
ca^me in earnest. In lsr)(')-7 money had been plenty, wages 
from $8 to $5 per day and enough to do. But in iSoS and 
from that time to and including 1S()() there was hardly a dol- 
lar between Sioux City and Nio))rara. Crops were poor and 
provisions scarce and the ambition of settlers and the 
prices of land went down to bed rock. Mr. Putnam says that 
during those unpropitious years a good farm could have 
been bought for a dollar. The uiaiu ditliculty in making 
such a, ])uirhase was to get the dollar. 

In these Hrst years of Dixon County life, the jtioneer had 
the usual troubles of those who settle in a new country. 
Generally with a thin purse and little credit, privations 
natui-all>- followed. At the start it was expensive for 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 33 

settlers to t'oine to the west, and when here to ph)W and 
plant, build cabins and stables and fairly get business under 
satisfactory headway. But such expenses and labors even 
with the additional disappointments and losses from hard 
times, grasshoppers, short crops, etc., did not often dis- 
courge the settlers of Dixon County, especially in the hrst 
three years. The pioneer realized that he could well afford 
to suffer privations. Instead of costing the earnings of a 
lifetime to })urchase a farm, as in the east, he had here a 
better farm given him. Here was a beautiful country, 
fertile soil, timl)er, pure water, and above all a 
healthy climate. What more coukl reasonably be asked. 
What though he might suffer Imcksets at first and l)e 
made to feel the want of many things which in the east 
were considered indispensable. 

Allowing that his purse was empty, his family on short 
rations, and that a good square meal and a comfortable coat 
were known to him only in his dreams. These were not 
calamities but temporary privations wdiich energy and 
perseverance would cure. But it would have been a ca- 
lamity to have left his farm with its attendant privations, 
and go l)ack east, and, no longer the lord of a manor, 
himself, l)ecome a hewer of wood and a drawer of water for 

others. 

The hard times of 1S5S did not i)revent the settlers from 
reviving the project for a county organization. This year 
the election turned out better than it had the year before, 
and I). T. Bramble, the merchant of Ponca, and naturally 
greatly interested in its welfare and in the welfare of the 
country tributary to i^-, was elected to the territorial legis- 
lature, the next session of which was held at Omaha, com- 
mencing Se])teml)er "21, 1S5S. 

At that session an act introduced l)y Mr. Bramble organ- 
izing the CV)unty of Dixon was passed and duly approved 
November 1, 1S5S, with an emergency clause attached. 
Such act was as follows: 

An Act to Organize and Dehne the Boundaries and Locate 
the County Seat of Dixon County. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the council and house of 
representatixes of the territory of Nebraska, that all that 
portion of the territory with the foUowing l)Oundaries, 
to-wit: Commencing at a point where the township line 



i 



;54 HISTORY OF DIXON CX)UNTY, NEBRASKA. 

between townships twenty-nine and thirty strikes the Mis- 
souri river; thence west along said line to the section line 
between sections three and four, township twenty-nine, 
north, range six, east; thence south to the south line of Da- 
kota county; thence west to a point due south of the south- 
east corner of Cedar county; thence north to the middle of 
the main channel of the Missouri river; thence down said 
channel to the place of beginning, be and the same is here- 
l)y organized under the name and style of Dixon County. 

Sec. 2. The first election for county officers shall be 
held in said county on the second Monday in December, A. 
D. 1858, and shall be conducted in the same manner and gov- 
erned by the same laws as govern the elections of other 
counties, excepting that the returns shall be made to the 
prol)ate judge of Dakota county, who shall issue certihcates 
of election to those who have received a plurality of the 
votes cast for the respective ofhcers, who shall hold their 
offices until the next general election. 

Sec. 8. At the hrst election, each qualihed voter may 
designate on his ballot the place of his choice for the county 
seat of said county, and if any one place receives a major- 
ity of the votes cast, it shall be the county seat; if not. the 
county commissioners shall order a new election to l)e held 
within twenty days, and they shall give eight days' notice of 
the same, when the choice shall be l)etween the two places 
that receive the highest number of votes at the first elec- 
tion, and the one receiving the majority shall be the county 
seat. 

Sec. 4. At the hrst election, the polls shall be opened 
and an election held at Ponca, Calena, Ionia and North Bend, 
and the same shall he conducted by judges of election ap- 
pointed by the prol)ate judge of Dakota county, who shall 
give due notice of the election. 

Sec. 5. All acts and i)arts of acts contiictiug with this act 
are hereby repealed. 

Sec {(. This act to take effect and he in force from and 
after its passage. 

Approved November 1, 1858. 

The language used in the above act dehning the bounda- 
ries of Dixon county, is not the same as tha.t which the stat- 
ute now prescri})es. It means precisely the same, however. 
The change of the wording was by an act of the legislature 
in 1859, "To change and redehne the l)oundai'ies of Dixon. 
Cedar and L' Kau-qui-court counties" and which went into 
effect January Kl 18()0. I'nder that act the boundaries are 

as follows: 

Commencing at the southwest coi'uer of towiislii[> 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 35 

twenty-seven, north, range 4, east; thence east to the line 
dividing sections thirty-tliree (88) and thirty-fonr (84) in 
township twenty-seven, north, of range six east; thence 
north to the dividing line between townships twenty-nine 
and thirty, north, of range six east, thence east to the 
middle of the main channel of the Missouri river: thence up 
said channel to a point where the dividing line between 
ranges three and four, east, intersects the same, thence south 
to the place of beginning. 

I'p to the time the organization act took effect, Novem- 
l)er 1, 1S5S, the government township including Ponca 
and a strip running north and south, therefrom across 
the county and three miles wide, had been a part of 
Dakota county, and it had been expected by many and 
hoped l)y all who lived in the western part of the region 
affected, that the boundary of Dakota county would not be 
disturbed and that Ponca would remain there. 

As heretofore mentioned, two aml)itious towns had been 
started near the mouth of Lime C'reek in the northwestern 
part of that which afterwards became Dixon C^ounty. One 
of those towns. Concord, had a store, post office, a saw mill 
and four houses, and the other. North Bend, had a mill and 
a few houses, and in size and population about equalled Con- 
cord. Concord and North Bend were less than a mile apart 
and much rivalry existed lietween them. In the summer of 
1S5S, when the necessity of a county organization became ap- 
parent, it was generally supposed that none of the territory 
of Dakota county would l)e disturbed, but that instead, a 
range of townships on the west (afterwards included in 
Cedar county) would l;e incorporated in the new county. 
Thus Ponca woi.ld be left out and either Concord or North 
Bend was sure to become the county seat. 

There would then be no other place of importance in the 
county, not considering Ionia and Galena, which had but 
two or three houses apiece, and hence Concord or North 
Bend would naturally get the prize. 

But which of the two was the question. Each wanted 
it and under no circumstances would consent that the other 
should have it. 

To settle this destructive rivalry the statesmen of the 
two villages put their heads together and evolved a plan 
which they immediately put into execution, ^iz: the towns 



m HISTORY OF DIXON (H^UNTY, NEBRASKA. 

being but a short distance apart, the hind l)etvveen them 
was laid ont into a new town, and named Dixon. Thus the 
rivals came into one town and the central part, Dixon was, 
expected to become the county seat, and its name, Dixon 
would henceforth be the name covering the whole. 

The new name, Dixon, was made the name of the county, 
but as afterwards appeared, the honor of naming the new 
county was all that Dixon received. The menil)er of the ter- 
ritorial legislature in 1858, Mr. Bramble, saw that if Ponca 
became a part of the new county it would be a powerful and 
probably successful rival of Dixon. Ponca had already 
while in Dakota county shown an ambition for county hon- 
ors. At an election a year or two before to decide the location 
of Dakota county's capital, Ponca had entered the lists and 
had received a few votes, and the desire to get rid of the 
presence of a possible future competitor may have had 
something to do with Dakota City's ready consent to the loss 
of that part of Dakota county which included Ponca. 
Hence the foregoing act for the organization of the county, 
was advocated by Mr. Braml)le without opposition of im- 
portance from Dakota county, and none which was effect- 
ual from the friends of the new town of Dixon. 

But while Dakota City was glad to thus get rid of an 
ambitious neighbor, the fears of the friends of Dixon that 
the death knell of their town had tlierel)y been sounded, 
especially as the desired range ol townships on the west had 
not been taken in, rendered their welcome to the new comer 
anything l)Lit cordial. That their fears were well founded, 
soon after became apparent. 

The act organizing the county })rovide<l that on the sec- 
ond Monday of December, 1858. the election of county otil- 
cers, and the designation of the county seat should take 
place, and that polls should l)e opened at Ponca, Calena, 
Tonia and North Bend. 

In the short time between the approval of the law and 
the holding of the election, every one was l)usy in behalf of 
his favorite town for county seat and his candidates for 
county officers. The combination of North Bend and Con- 
cord gave them em-ouraging strength, yet Ponca had eight 
buildings and about a dozen families, thus equaling the Con- 
cord-Dixon-North Bend triumvirate in that respect. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 37 

Not very metropolitan were these young cities, it must be 
confessed, but in ambition, liope and good feeling they were 
equal to many towns that put on more size. The entire 
population of the county at that time was about three 
hundred. 

When the election came off desperate efforts for success 
were made by each of the rival localities. It has l)een said 
by some that the tremendous array of votes on that occasion 
indicated that the population of the county had suddenly 
jumped to greater proportions than ever l)efore or since. 
Whether voters came from across the river or whether votes 
were put into the box in V)ehalf of al)sent eastern friends, as 
asserted by some and denied l)y others, can hardly be told at 
this late day. Nor does it specially matter, as all, if any, re- 
sorted to the same tactics and the result was probably the 
same it would have been had the extra votes been left out. 
So long as it did not affect the result, it did no harm to vote 
absent friends or even Indians and in fact might have been 
useful as a showing that Dixon county was rapidly acquiring 
an immense population. 

The result, loudly celebrated in Ponca on election night 
after the returns were in, was that Ponca had been victori- 
ous and that its eight buildings were located at the capital 
of the county. Tradition informs us that on that happy. 
exul)erant occasion, the countenances of its citizens, 
Messrs. Bisbee. Porter. Stough. Todd, et al, shone with, joy 
and enthusiasm. 

But while Ponca rejoiced, the defeat of Dixon caused it 
to soon disappear from the map and even from memory. It 
never had a house, and being on low ground w^as unfit 
for a house to stand on. Its r)nly use w^as to marry the rival 
towns of Concord and North Bend, and after its mission had 
been fulfilled and had failed to do them or itself any good, it 
once more was thought of as a tract of cheap prairie, tit 
(mly for hay land. It now is a part of the farm of John 
(lunderson. 

It may be proper to add here that in a few years Concord 
and North Bend petered out, their buildings were moved 
away or torn down, and their town sites became farms. Such 
is the frequent end of western town site enterprises. 

The election which transformed Ponca into a county seat 



38' HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

also provided -its first officers. They were: 

Commissioners— John Cavanagh, H. A. Fuller and J. 
Massinger. 

County Clerk Edward Arnold. 

County Judge — J. B. Denton. 

Treasurer John Malone. 

Surveyor S. B. Stough. 

Sheriff Charles F. Putnam. 

Thus Dixon county was hnally started out on its official 
career. Those who were elected were men of integrity, 
and their careful and intelligent management of county af- 
fairs showed that the confidence of \()ters had not been mis- 
placed. 

We do not learn the names of those who were elected 
at this first election, from any records. There are no rec- 
ords which we can hud here or in the secretary of state's 
office at Lincoln showing that any election was held at all. 
In all things therefore relating this election we have l)een 
compelled to rely entirely on the memories of a few of those 
who were present on that occasion. 

As will be seen from its metes and l)ounds, Dixon county 
touches the Missouri on the north, has the river and Dakota 
county on the east. Wayne county on the south and Cedar 
county on the west. 

It has four hundred and eighty-six square miles, or three 
hundred and eleven thousand and forty (ol 1,040) acres. It is 
a tract of land which is most fortunate in several respects. 
It has not a single worthless or nnirshy acre. About one- 
fourth of it is bottom land, the balance is rolling, and all of 
it has a rich soil, varying from three to six feet in depth and 
capal)le of producing immense cro|)s. 

There is no lack of water. The Logan river runs through 
the southern part, and the Daily, Aoway, West Branch. Tur- 
key, Powder and Lime creeks in tlu^ centi-al and northern 
parts of the county. In addition nw a great number of 
small tributaries, so that nearly every ([uarter section in the 
county has a living stream upon it. Along the Missouri the 
vast tracts of tiiu))er. oak. elm. l)la,ck walnut, hickory, 
etc., warranted to settlers al)uii(lant supi)lies of tire wood 
and lumber. 

Such was the iiiisiii-passcd couutry wliich \)\ the gi'ac*' of 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 39 

the general government, the territorial legislature and the 
industry and energy of the pioneers, became Dixon county 
and the future home of thousands of prosperous citizens. 

After the election of its hrst county otticers and the 
location of its capital, the new comity of Dixon moved forward 
as hopefully as could be expected. Dixon, by becoming a 
full-fledged county, did not disturb the equilibrium of the 
other counties of the state, nor by its growth excite their 
jealousy. Nor did Ponca under its new honors become 
unduly swelled with pride and importance, nor bound into 
notice as a rival of Omaha. Its growth from that time for- 
ward, was at about the same pace as previously, somewhat 
slow\ yet its future, under the circumstances, seemed more 
assured than before. 



40 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



CHAPTlvK IV. 

Dixon County's Progress Its Officials and Their 
Methods of Doing Business — P^irst Board of Com- 
missioners, Their Proceedings and Records, and the 
Many Difficulties They Had to Encounter --The 
First Assessment of Property and the Poverty- 
stricken Display of Wealth Hard Times and Few 
Improvements — First School in County — Call for 
Troops in 1S62 and Enlistment in Dixon County — Ed. 
Freeman Killed IN Battle of Whitestone Hill - In- 
dian Scares In 1SB8 Stampede of Settlers from the 
Niobrara Country The Drouth in 1S()4 and the 
(treat Crops in 1S()5 — Railroad Proposition of 1<S()9 — 
The (trowth of Ponca and the Rise and Fall of Ionia. 

There are no records in existence of what the hrst hoard 
of county commissioners did, or where they met. Old 
settlers, however, say that the hrst meeting was hehl in 
Bramhie's h)g store, that the second was in l)lacksniitli 
Roger's house, and that afterwards and for several years the 
commissioners met in Davis' tavern (now Bigley's). 

As to the other county ofhcers, they did husiness 
wherever they happened to he. and carried their records in 
their hats. 

Of the commissioners acts at their hrst meeting, oi- 
during the hrst year we ha\'e l)ut slight infcu-mation. If 
they kept any proceedings at all, they were not preserved. 
It may leasonahly be presumed, however, that they came 
together, swore one another into otlice, and in some way 
more or less skillful, commenced turning the new county 
machinery. They divided the county into commissioner's 
districts, appointed the metes and hounds of road and school 
districts, took into consideration two or three proposed 
roads, and talked about the prospect of raising money in the 
future by taxes so as to keep the wheels of the county's 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 41 

progress suitably greased. It is not likely that at the hrst 
meeting of the commissioners, nor indeed during the first 
year, many bills were presented. If there were, we may 
safely assert that none were paid. There were no funds and 
it was generally understood that any pay for what was done, 
was. as to the county, a long way off. 

The county did not in fact, start out in a very propitious 
time. The prosperous days of ISoB and 1S57 had gone by. 
Then every one had his pockets full of money and felt rich; 
now the reverse was the rule. The winter of 1S57-8 had 
been one of tremendous snows and much suffering. In the 
spring following, hard times, and scarcity of money and 
provisions had induced many to leave, some to Pike's Peak, 
others to their old homes in the east. While many left, the 
few new settlers who came in were not one-fourth as many 
as in 1S5B or 1S57. The winter of 1S5S-9 was also a hard and 
unhappy winter and the general scarcity of provisions and 
other comforts of life which had prevailed for more than a 
year past, seemed to have become chronic. Hence when the 
commissioners and other officers started in to pilot their new 
county during the hrst part of its voyage, the outlook was 
discouraging. That they persevered and kept up the organ- 
ization when everything naturally seemed to indicate that 
the abandonment of the country to the Indians again would 
l)e the result in the near future, was certainly in their favor. 

In the following spring, iSiJ^) the hrst assessment of the 
county took place. It was made by Sheriff Putnam and was 
one of the most poverty-stricken displays of a county's 
wealth ever seen before or since. Mr. Putnam tells us that 
al)out twenty tracts of land, each of one hundred and sixty 
acres, were assessed, the valuation being fixed at $1.25 per 
acre. There were also a few hogs and cattle and half a dozen 
horses. That was all there was of it. There were no such 
elaborate inventories of property as are used by assessors 
now-a-days. There was no need. A trivial array of cattle, 
horses and hogs, and the few tracts of deeded land com- 
prised the entire property, the assessed valuation of which, 
according to Mr. Putnam's recollection was not far from 
$4,S(I(). It is obvious that the assessment was not a job 
which occupied any great length of time. 

In the June after, the commissioners came together and 



42 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

proceeded to equalize the assessment and make the levy, 
and take such further steps as would at the proper time in 
the future, result in the collection of taxes, the amount of 
which was a)K)ut $-]()(>. 

Durintj; this year very few buildings were l)uilt in Ponca 
and not many in the country. Here and there a new comer 
would be seen putting up a sod or log house on his claim, or 
breaking a few acres of land. A feeling of discouragement 
had grown until settlers were averse to improving their 
places, and they preferred to sell out if they could, and go 
elsewhere. Many did go, so that in 1S59 the county had less 
inhabitants than two years before. 

Of course under such a state of affairs, improvements, 
public or private, were not thought of. The roads were 
mere paths over the face of the countr}'. Bridges were, as 
yet, too costly a luxury for the county to build. (Jroves. 
fruit orchards and vineyards had not yet ))een dreamed of 
and were not for several years afterwards. 

Residents of Dixon County, who in these later days talk 
about hard times, do not realize that their predecessors had in 
lsr)S and 1S59. moi-e real, solid privations in one hour of time 
than can now l)e suffered in an entire year. 

In the following year. 1S()(). the pressure of hard times 
was not quite so severe. In the spring a grist mill was built 
at Ponca by Stough Brothers and N. S. Porter. Thus a 
little more life was given to the town, and a better market 
for the county. Aside fi-oni this there were few new build- 
ings or improvements. As a pointer showing what was 
l)eing done, take the amount of land broken. In IS")? there 
had been about two hundred and seventy acres; in iSoS. four 
times that amount, and in IS,")!) and IS()(). scarcely any. 

As in the previous yeai-, many settlers moved away in 
1S()(I and few came in to take their places, and the ])opulation 
dwindled down to about two hundi'ed. Not very en- 
couraging, in fact, to those who renuiined. It is said that 
more would have gone, if they had l)een able to raise money 
enough to pay the ferriage across the Missouri, which, as 
merciless as the river Styx, barred the way. Among those 
who went to Pike's Peak were Messrs. l^itnam. Farwell. 
Carpenter, Alexander, Felter and Higgins. They went in the 
spring and a few of them retui'ned in the fall. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 43 

111 the meanwhile, in spite of the universal discourage- 
ment, the county officers, in a dim sort of way to be sure, 
kept up the county organization. The commissioners met, 
ordered an assessment, levied taxes, established voting 
precincts and went through the forms and ceremonies which 
they deemed necessary to keep the flag of Dixon county fly- 
ing at mast-head. During this year, as in the year before 
and for several years afterwards, county offices were not 
much sought after. Neither the honor nor profit sufficiently 
compensated for the troulile and annoyance. Hence, when 
one was elected he was lial)le to neglect the honor thrust 
upon him and the office would become vacant and have to be 
tilled by the commissioners. In another place we have given 
a list of the officers of the county from its organization to 
the present time. That there are probably mistakes, especially 
in regard to the sheriff's and commissioners, is owing to the 
frequent (dianges and neglect to record them. 

Tn some instances the only proof to be found that a man 
had held an office at all, was the account which he filed with 
the commissioners for his services. Such account being ap- 
proved and allowed (though with the depleted treasury we 
may be sure it was not paid) became conclusive proof. 
There were no records of commissiimei-s' proceedings at all 
until July. iSBd. and for years they were too incomplete to 
give much of an idea what was lieing done. It was on 
account of the slipshod way of doing business in those days, 
that the legislature afterwards came to the aid of the com- 
missioners, and by a legalizing act covered, as with a merci- 
ful l)lanket, their illegal omissions and commissions. 

The years 1S()1 and lS(i2 may be said to have been 
repetitions of ISBII. Hard times continued and the few Avho 
came hardly equalled the number who went away. 

In the spring of 1862 the hrst school of which there is any 
account, was held in the county. It was taught by Miss 
Mary Jones, of Elk Creek, Dakota County, in the first school 
house built in Ponca on the ground where Ponca's school 
building now is. That school is claimed to have l^een the 
first nor is there much to show to the contrary, the only 
paper bearing on this point being a report from Ionia in 
October, 1860, which notified the county board that there 
were fifteen children of school age in that district. 



44 HISTORY OF DIXON (X)UNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Whether the Ionia report was merely a hint that a school 
was needed or whether it is proof that Ionia school district 
had a school in fnll hlast. readers ninst determine for them- 
selves. From such report it appears that the seven families 
which contributed the aforesaid fifteen children to the popu- 
lation of the county, were those of L. T. Hill, S. P. Haltzley, 
A. Curry, Henry Hoese, Gustavus Smith, K. A. Hotchkiss, and 
A. Smith. The distance between the places where these 
families resided at that time, indicates that their school 
district was fully as lar^e as two ^-overnment townships. 

In lS(i2 the settlers w^re Hrst invited to help in the war 
then raging, and in the fall of that year, a number of the 
patriotic residents of Dixon county enlisted in Company I of 
of the 2nd Regiment of Nebraska Infantry, commanded by 
Colonel Furnas. This company was recruited from Dakota, 
Dixon and Cedar counties, and camped a part of the winter 
of lSH2-3at Ponca. 

Those who enlisted from Dixon county were N. S. Porter, 
Pat Scollard, John Scollard, Bernard CaYanagh, Francis 
Freeman. Charles Freeman. ImI. Freeman, Edward Arnold, 
John Malone. James (TConnev. John O'Conner. 0. P. 
Baltzley, Frank Jourdan, W. P. Heydon, Nelson Feauto, 
James Clark, Elias Shook. P. J. Winston, James Alexander, 
M. Lathrop and Mons Nelson. The next spring, (1SB8) Cen. 
Sully ordered the regiment to go up the river to assist in 
capturing the Sioux Indians which were then on the war- 
path. In the battle of Whitestone Hill, Company 1 i)artici- 
pated, and one of its meml)ers from Dixon County, Ed. Free- 
man, was killed. The regiment returned down the river in 
November and was mustered out of service. 

Dixon county since its first settlement had sometimes had 
Indian scares and in isn;} they were more frequent and 
serious than before. Once, four nuirauding Sioux Indians 
made a raid to steal cattle and horses. Messrs. Porter. Wil- 
bur and some others went after them, exchanged shots 
with them and chased them out of the South Creek and 
Silver Creek country, and finally ran them across the Missouri. 
One (lay in the summer a great crowd of p(M)ple. com- 
prising nearly every one living west as far as the Niolu*ai-a 
river came rushing into Ponca. They came with wagons, 
horses, cattle, furniture and provisions, and were frightened 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 45 

almost to death. They reported that the Indians were 
coming in force, killing and burning everything in their 
path. The terror stricken people had not seen the Indians 
nor any evidence of Indian depredations, but a vague 
rumor started liy some rascally up-river traders had excited 
them into an ungovernable stam})ede. So they came, a great 
drove of unreasoning and wildly frightened people, into 
Ponca. They proposed to continue their flight the next 
morning Init by the efforts of cooler headed men in Ponca, 
they were induced to stay until a party could go back and 
see what real reason there was for the panic. 

Accordingly a company of forty well armed frontiersmen 
started on the back track the next morning. They saw no 
Indians but they saw and shot at several buffalo. The 
prairies were generally on tire on l)oth sides of the river. 
They went to Niobrara and never in the whole trip saw a 
hostile face. Their trip lasted about a week and in that 
time many fat turkeys and chickens, and all the government 
tobacco and whiskey within reach were disposed of to the 
satisfaction of all concerned. After their return the 
frightened up-country people laughed at their previous fears 
and took u}) their line of march back to their homes again. 

About this time a much more serious matter, a most 
atrocious tragedy in fact, occurred. In (*edar county and 
near the Dixon county line, a snrall party of Sioux Indians 
who came over from Dakota, murdered the Wiseman family. 
The murderous band was immediately pursued but escaped 
across the river. All these matters kept up much unhappy 
excitement throughout the river counties, and not until the 
Indians were again l)rought under sul)jection were settlers 
fully assured of peace and safety. 

Thus the county, without much improvement and with 
many hardships, drifted along until ].S()4, and this year 
seemed to be the climax of grief. There was a drouth that 
year. Previously they had gruni])led over poor crops. Now 
tliere were no crops at all. 

Concerning that ill-fated season, C. F. Putnam and eJohn 
McKinley tell us that there was not a drop of rain from late 
in the fall of 1S()8 to early in the spring of 1S();"), tifteen 
months. A terrible experience, certainly, and presenting an 
almost hoi)eless outlook. The torrid heat, the ground baked 



4(5 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

to the hardness of brick, the failing springs and streams and 
not a blade of corn or grass, or sign of crop of any kind to 
vary the desolate monotony, seemed to denote that the 
productive forces of nature were dead and the country had 
become a desert. 

There was no corn, no vegetables and no grain, and no 
grass excepting a little on Logan Slough. Corn and wheat 
whi(di had been put into the ground in the spring remained 
there all summer without a sign of life. That the settlers 
managed to get through the trying time was a source of 
wonder even to themselves. Their land was barren and 
worthless for the time and the livelihood of themselves and 
cattle had to be obtained from other sources. 

How did they manage? Old settlers say that the l)ody of 
timber along the Missouri helped them to l)ridge the crisis. 
From this forest, great numbers of logs, especially of lilack 
walnut, were cut by the settlers, some from their own land 
and others from that of the government, and rafted down the 
river and sold. Again, settlers went out (not for fun, that 
word being out of date that season) and beat the fields and 
woods for game and the river and creeks for hsh. Deer, 
wolves and bear were met with sometimes, and scpiirrels, 
prairie chickens and wild ducks. In the winter, mink, 
beaver and muskrat were trapped and their skins sent to 
market. Those who had cittle and hogs, sold them when 
want pinched too hard. Thus in various ways the tiour 
l)arrel was kept replenished, and means i)ro\ ided to sustain 
life, give shelter and clothing and drive the wolf from the 
door. 

Another su(di a fifteen mouths, hud it then followcMl 
would necessarily have driven out of the country every man, 
woman and child. 

Importunately at the end of this tifteen months of hades, 
rain came. Not a gentle moisture, daintily s])read. but an 
abundant and long continued downpour. The hard baked 
earth yielded to its influence and vegetation awakening 
from its sleep again bedecked the valleys and ])lains with 
verdure and flowers, (-ourage came back, and again the 
settlers plowed and planted, and their hoi)e turned into joy 
as their crops boomed and rich harvests became certainties. 
No more hungry days were in store, no more trapping of 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 47 

muskrats or stealing government timber, and no more 
solacing ravenous hunger with corn bread and salt, washed 
down with brackish water. As if ashamed of itself for its 
previous niggardly treatment of the settlers, nature gave 
them in 1S(55, enormous crops, the greatest, grandest and 
most lavish that had ever been seen in the country. 

The year 1S()5 was indeed, a most generous year. More 
land was broken, more houses built and more improvements 
made than all combined since 1S57. Grand crops, a big 
emigration and a general lifting from despair to joy and 
plenty. 'J'he tide had now turned, and from that time for- 
ward, rapid growth and development was assured. 

The great numl^er of those who came in 1SU5 as well as 
in succeeding years to make their homes in Dixon County, 
renders it impossible, except in few instances, to mention 
them separately. In another place, however, notices of 
many of the leading pioneers will be given, as well as 
sketches of those citizens whose energy and good works in 
behalf of the county are and have been prominent. 

In the presence of plenty, the previous hard times were 
soon forgotten, and the incoming settlers, from 18B5 onward 
during many prosi^erous years, joyfully took their home- 
steads, plowed and put in crops, fenced, l>uilt houses, started 
groves and planted orchards. As time went on. and people 
l)ecanie able, the desire was awakened to have homes which 
were more than mere shelters from the storm. No longer 
the gloomy cabin, the rude home-made benches and table, 
and from the narrow^ window\ no longer the dreary outlook, 
sufficed. The neglected garden, usually a wilderness of tan- 
gled growth, was made useful as well as beautiful in its or- 
der and cleanliness, and its vegetal)les, sweet corn, grape 
vines and shrubljery. 

The home by degrees l)ecame transformed into a brighter 
and more enjoyable place to rear a family in. The rude 
necessaries gave place to tasty furniture and adornments, 
the dingy walls, doors and casings were made new and cheer- 
ful l)y paint and paper, and larger windows were demanded 
to give views of the gardens, flower beds and fields. Even 
some homes had carpets, and the family lil)rary, previously 
a collection of almanacs, could boast of a few useful and 
interesting l)ooks. 



1 



48 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

A great tield of wheat or corn, or herd of fat cattle, de- 
manded of the farmer that he become posted on the mar- 
kets, and hence newspapers became necessary, and he was 
thus introduced to what was going on in the outside w^orld. 
Previously his main care had been to feed and protect his 
family, now, however, under the stimulus of prosperity and 
awakened reflection, the feeding of the stomach became 
secondary to the desire to learn and know, and to give his 
family those advantages of education and society which he, 
himself, had by his lonely frontier life been deprived of. 

In those days Sioux City was the main place of market 
for the residents of this county. To go to Sioux City and 
return, required two days' time and a hard journey ])y 
wagon. Merchandise was brought in that way, and as to 
wheat and hogs, what was not sold in Ponca was carted to 
Sioux City in a laborious and expensive manner. 

A railroad into Dixon county, therefore became a grow- 
ing desire. The first ])roject of that kind was in 1S()9. It 
was originated by S. T. Davis of Sioux City, who jjroposed 
to build a railroad from that place through Dixon County to 
Niobrara. Preliminary surveys were made, and all that was 
needed to (•onii)lete the undertaking was the money neces- 
sary to build and equip it. Propositions for aid were there- 
fore made to Dixon and other counties on the west. Dixon 
County was asked to vote |()S,()()!I. and the people were as- 
sured that if such bonds were furnished, the road would be 
built without delay. 

The proposition, plausii)le and alluring, inasmuch as a 
railroad was exactly what the countv needed, was talked 
over and considered by the citizens, but they hai'dly felt 
al)le to incur a debt of such magnitude. It was, therefore, 
abandoned, and railroad l)uilding had to wait until a more 
propitious time. 

As has been mentioned in cliaptei- thir<l. Ponca, was 
surveyed in part and named in the fall of IS-")!), and a log 
house was built by Hoese Brothers, and in 1S')7 houses were 
])ut up by Stough Brotlun-s, John Ca\anagh and H. A. Ful- 
ler, a house and blacksmith shoj) by Mr. Kogers and a store 
))y Mr. Brand )Ie. 

In 1S5S, the growth of the town continued though 
slowly. During this year several houses were built, and one 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 49 

which stood oil the claim of lieaiKler Davis near New (.'as- 
tle was moved to Poiica and phiced on a h)t near where the 
school house is. Afterwards in lS(i() it was moved by Por- 
ter, Bisl)ee and 'J'odd to the Bigiey lot on East street. To the 
same lot they soon after moved a house which had been 
built in 1S59 for Mr. Bramble on the lots where Dr. Stough's 
residence now is. These two buildings were joined together 
and made into a hotel (the first hotel in town) which was 
kept by Mr. Davis and is now known as the Bigiey House. 

Up to 1S5S. Ponca people crossed the x\ow^ay by a log 
bridge which had been built l)y settlers two years before. 
It was a dul)ious sort of a l)ridge and dreaded by everyone 
who crossed. In 1S5S the government 1)uilt a good, substan- 
tial l)ridge, and passing o\er the Aoway w^as no longer a ter- 
ror to man and lieast. 

Among other evidences of Ponca's rising importance 
it may be mentioned that on May 14. 1S51). it held its first 
election of trustees. Five were to be elected, and twelve 
votes were cast. Of these N. S. Porter received ten votes; 
Leander Davis, nine; E. M. Bisbee, eleven; H. A. Fuller, 
eleven; D. T. Bramble, ten. and C. W. Todd, J. C. Harring- 
ton, K. Rogers and James Barrett received one each. 

In lS5y, Francis Freeman completed a dwelling house. 
Blacksmith Rogers built a frame residence, Mr. Chapman a 
lilacksmith shop and tw^o or three small houses were put up 
by parties whose names are now unknown. 

In that year Ponca's hrst school house was erected. 
It was on the ground where the high school building now 
stands and was built by subscription. The building was af- 
terwards sold and removed, and a larger school house built 
about the year lS<i5 l)y H. Beardshear. 

In ISIid. several more buildings were erected, one of the 
most important of which was the grist mill of Stough 
Brothers. 'J\vo years afterwards a saW' mill was liuilt in 
connection with the grist mill. 

The first Fourth of July celeljration ever held in Ponca, 
took place in that mill in bS(V2. On that momentous occa- 
sion the eagle was assisted to scream by W. H.James (after- 
wards governor of the state) who w^as orator of the day, and 
Judge Arnold who read the Declaration of Independence. 



50 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

The miLsic was l)y (lustavus Smith and family of New 
Castle. 

In 18(51 the first Lutheran church was built and was the 
only church building in town until 1S71 when churches were 
erected by the Presbyterians and Methodists. 

During the years from l.S(>2 to 1S7() the growth of Fonca 
continued very slow. In l.S(il) a store building was erected 
on Third street by Stough and Mikesell and another by Por- 
ter and (ramble in 1S71 on the corner of Third and East 
streets. 

In '(U). 7(1 and "71 an unusua.lly large number of resi- 
dences were Iniilt, some of them quite expensive and stylish. 
Among them was the l)rick house of John Stough (the first 
])rick house in town), and the large frame residences of Dr. 
Stough and N. S. Porter. 

From IHiii) to 1S70 and for a few years afterwards, the 
town next in importance to Ponca, was Ionia. Ionia had a 
beautiful, but as it turned out, unfortunate location on the 
bank of the Missouri. 

In 1S5(). a Sioux City conii)a.iiy, in which were said to be 
Messrs. Cunningham, White and John H. Charles, sur- 
veyed and staked out the town of Ionia, twelve miles fnmi 
Ponca up the river. 

In the spring of 1S57. L. T. Hill, a merchant of Daven- 
port, Iowa, engaged J. J. Fierce and his son, H. M. Fierce, 
of that city, to come west and locate a town site for him. 
The accordingly journeyed across the state to Sioux City, 
and from thence into Dixon county. It was a long tri}). 
There was no railroad, and an ox team and wagon was with 
them as it usually was with others at that earl>' day, the 
mode of conveyance. 

In Dixon county tliey found that the Sioux City i)roprie- 
tors of Ionia wished to sell out, and Messrs. Fierce pur- 
chased and held the site for Mr. Hill until May 22, bsr)*), 
when he and his family arrived. 

He found a very wild country. A few settlers were scat- 
tered up and down Aoway Creek, and two families were liv- 
ing near the new town of Ionia, one of which was that of 
Mr. Massenger and his son-in-law, Andi-ew White, and the 
other was the Hotchkiss family on the Hotchkiss bottom, so 
called. In Ionia two small buildings hadl)een built the year 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 51 

before, and during the year iSol) two or three more were ad- 
ded by Mr. Hill. 

From this time forward for several years, Toiiia, like 
other new western towns of that period, was not 
greatly encouraged by growth and business. In 18(50 Mr. 
Hill ))uilt Ionia's first ferry boat, a boat which was a great 
assistance to the farmers of Dixon and Dakota counties 
who had to cross the Missouri while making trips to Fort 
Randall with produce. Fort Randall with a garrison of five 
hundred soldiers furnished an excellent market, the best 
within reach, and high prices were paid for everything the 
farmers had to sell. 

In 1S()2, the large amount of timber on the Ionia river 
bottom induced Mr. Hill to erect a steam saw mill there. 
It was started in December and for several years did a large 
business. In the spring of lS(i5, the excessively high water 
in the Missouri cut away the l)ank and endangered the mill, 
and in the next year it was moved to a safer point, and a 
grist mill was added in 1SB7. In that year, 1SB7, Messrs. 
Fitzgerald and Lynes built the first store, and in ISOS Isaac 
Hughes l)uilt a hotel. 

In 1S()U Levins and liose l)uilt a large, two story store and 
put in a good stock of general merchandise. 

An encouraging number of residences, shops and other 
buildings were also added in that year, and in LSTO a large 
amount of building was done, and the town was increased 
by many new families. 

An inventory of Ionia's business houses at that time 
shows in addition to the mill and hotel, three stores, one 
l)lacksmith shop, one wagon and repair shop, one shoe maker 
shop and several carpenter shops. 

Also Ellyson lirothers built to run between Ionia and the 
Dakota side the first steam ferry boat on the river 
a))ove Sioux City. 

In 1S7() and 1S71 Ionia continued to grow in size and 
increase in ))usiness. and in 1S72 it had a population of about 
three hundred. 

In 1S74 the encroachment of the river, which previously 
had not excited much ai)i)rehension became alarmingly 
worse. The channel changed so that its force threatened 
the destruction of the town. Afterwards up to 1S7S, the 



52 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

cutting away of the bank continued and increased. For 
safety many of the buildings were moved away, and in that 
year the river swept out a large share of the town site 
and within two or three years thereafter the w^ork of de- 
struction was completed. Such in brief was the beginning 
and end of Tonia. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 53 



CHAPTER V. 

Indian Scares and Annoyances —N. S. Porter's Inter- 
view with "Smoker" of "Little Rabbitt's" Band — L. 
T. Hill's Experiences with Indians at Ionia — J. 
Murphy OF South Creek has an Unpleasant Visit — 
Indian Powwows and Dances -The Ancient Indian 
Tribes and Legends. 
Before continuing the history of the general progress of 
the county from and after lS(i9, we will make reference to 
Indian scares and experiences prior to that time as well as 
to the tales and legends concerning the savage red men who 
seventy-five or a hundred years before had ruled in Dixon 
county. 

hi the time elapsing since the first white settlers came, 
little real trouble had been occasioned by the Indians except 
in the few instances related in the last chapter. Indian 
visits were generally nothing worse than attempts on their 
part to raid corn cribs or pork barrels. Hence there are no 
tales of Indian wars in Dixon county since its first settlement 
l)y the whites, no massacres of defenseless inhabitants, no 
niidnight glare of burning buildings and no hordes of 
p:iinted savages with reeking tomahawks. None of these 
things were ever seen by the settlers, nor often heard of 
except in the blood curdling tales of eastern romancers, 
nine-tenths of whom never saw an Indian or knew what 
they were talking about. 

Yet though nothing especially serious ever took place in 
their intercourse with the red men. old settlers, on looking 
back over those first years will recall many little ex- 
periences which they had with them, and which might have 
])een described as comedy but never as tragedy. About the 
only exceptions to this rule near Dixon county was the murder 
of the Wiseman children in Cedar county and that of 
C. S. Munson in Wavne. Aside from these instances, 



54 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Indian visits were more amusing than terrifying, and 
served to break the sameness of frontier life. 

The first of such harmless Indian scares took place a day 
or two after the arrival of the first batch of settlers 1n May, 
lS5(i. On that occasion a squad of Poncas crossed the Aoway 
and visited the settlers' camp while the men were away look- 
ing ont claims in the neighb(n4iuod. With a great flourish of 
tomahawks and knives the Indians frightened the three 
women in camp almost to death and made them glad to 
purchase peace by giving up a generous share of their 
provisions. This sort of annoyance from roving bands was 
often afterwards practiced on the settlers, and the story 
of one was generally the story of all. There would l)e a 
blustering display of knives and hatchets, a big fright among 
the women and children, and finally peace obtained by hand- 
ing over corn and bacon and whatever else the visiting In- 
dians took a fancy to carry off. 

In the fall of lS5y. N. S. Porter had an interview with 
one of the Ponca tribe, which terminated in less fun for the 
Indian than usual in such cases. Mr. Porter was helping 1). 
T. Bramble in his store in Ponca. One day Mr. Bramble 
went to Sioux City leaving Porter in charge of the l)usiness. 
At that time the goods most in demand were bacon, salt, 
tobacco and whiskey, the latter being only sold by the 
gallon. In the afternoon of the day in question, a band of 
Ponca Indians about a thousand strong came in from their 
reservation west of Niobrara and camped east of town in the 
grove now known as Stough's grove (near the present fair 
ground). 

Possildy to fittingly celebrate their visit to their ancient 
home, two young warriors came up from their camp early in 
the evening and bought and carried back with them a 
quantity of tobacco and a jug of whiskey. Soon after they 
left. Porter was greatly alarmed on learning from John 
Bramble the brother of the proprietor, thvit l\v selling licjuor 
to the Indians he had \iolated the law, antl his worry was 
kept at a fever heat by Bisbee, Todd and Clark, who were at 
the store at the time and who enlarged on the enormity of 
the crime and the dire punishment that would follow if 
found out. To add to his trouble as the evening advanced 
the uproar in the Indian camp increased as thougli the 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 55 

jugfull was doing consideral)le execution, and that an In- 
dian outbreak was lial)le. 

The Indians kept up their dancing and shouting until 
near midnight wlien twenty of them came to the store and 
loudly called for more whiskey. Porter refused their de- 
mands and told them he had no right to sell to them, 
and advised them to return to their camp. Instead of doing 
so, they commenced to beat the door with their hatchets. 
Porter partly opened the door when they shoved in their jug 
and it was broken, and one of them named "Smoker" of 
"Little Rabbit's" l)and raised his hatchet to strike. Porter 
caught the Indian's arm and grabbed up a stick of wood, 
then threw it away and gave the Indian a tremendous blow 
with his list under the jaw. The Indian fell as though shot, 
striking on his head several feet away, and lay there ap- 
parently lifeless. Porter barred and closed the door and 
listened tremblingly to the loud threats of fifty or more 
Indians who had by that time gathered around the fallen 
brave. In a few minutes, however, the noise ceased, and on 
looking out, he saw the Indians steering for their camp, two of 
them leading the one who had been knocked down. Soon 
after, the proprietor, Mr. Braml;)le, came home and Porter 
told him what had occurred. Bramble said it might \m\e 
been very serious but he hoped the danger was over. 

At sunrise the next morning. Chief "Iron Whip" and about 
fifty warriors came up leading the victim of the night be- 
fore. His head and face appeared as though Imnged 
by a trip hammer. 

Iron Whip told Bram!)le by signs that Smoker was badly 
hurt, but if he could have some whiskey to dose him with 
and some more to bathe him in, he thought he could cure 
him. Bramble took the chief and Smoker and two others 
into the back room and when they came out wiping their 
mouths, their faces shone with satisfaction and they ex- 
pressed the opinion that Smoker would now feel a "heap" 
better. As a hnal token of friendship they demanded that 
Porter and the w^ounded Indian shake hands. This was 
done and harmony again prevailed. During several years 
after. Porter often met Smoker and other members of Little 
Rabbit's band, and they showed no resentment toward him. 
Thev said Porter was a brave man for striking with his fist 



.■)(; HISTORY OF DIXON CXJUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

when he could have used a club, and no doubt this was the 
reason for not resenting the blow and taking his scalp. 

The above, one of many similar incidents of frontier life, 
was somewhat threatening at hrst, l)ut wound up at the end 
in renewed peace. 

Mr. L, T. Hill gives the following account of the visit in 
the fall of ISliO of a l)and of Indians to his house in Ionia 
during his absence in Omaha. He says "I left Charley Smith 
to protect the family and look after things generally. One 
day while Charley was away, Mrs. Hill left the children at the 
house and went up the ravine to pick some plums. While 
there she thought she heard voices, and on looking in the 
direction of the sound, she saw several Indians mounted on 
ponies rapidly coming down the ravine towards her. 

"She was greatly alarmed and started for home on a run. 
By taking a short cut across a held she reached the house 
])efore the Indians and shut and barred the doors. The In- 
dians did not attempt to enter, but she could hear their 
voices and she finally came to the conclusion that if her fate 
was doomed she might as well face it. 

"She thereupon took the children with her and went out 
to where they were. A little way from the house stood a 
grindstone and the Indians were there sharpening their 
hatchets and knives. That naturally added to her terror, 
but knowing her inability to escape, she jjut on a bold face. 
They greeted her in their usual manner, 'how, how' and said 
'tobac, tobac' 

"We had a barrel of fine cut in the house and Mrs. 
Hill went in and l)rouglit out a large pan full of it and told 
the Indians to help themselves. She said they expressed 
great joy at the sight of so much 'tobac' and stowed it away 
in a short time. After a brief jabber among themselves 
one of them ran to where their ponies were tied and 
brought to her a large chunk of jerked venison. Then they 
finished grinding their knives, and to the great relief of 
Mrs. Hill and the children, mounted their ponies and left. 
It was afterwards learned that the Indians were from 
Dakota and had l)een o\er in the PJlkhorn valley on a pony 
stealing raid, and now on their ivturn were hunting for a 
place to ford the Missouri." 

Mr. Hill also furnishes an account of another adventure 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 57 

at Ionia with the Indians. The trouble which grew out of 
a lawsuit is thus described by him: "In the winter of 186(1 
one John (lidross, living temporarily on the Hotchkiss place 
near Ionia, became indebted to J. J. and H. M. Pierce, 
$80 or $40, and without paying them moved his cattle and 
goods across the Missouri into Dakota where there was no 
law. 

"One morning the oxen of (iidross were found on the 
Nebraska side, having crossed the river on the ice. Being a 
Justice of the Peace I was called upon to issue an attachment 
for the oxen, and James Barrett then acting as sheriff, levied 
on them, and placed them in the care of Andrew White 
until they could be advertised and sold. The day of sale 
came as did the sheriff. About ten o'clock in the morning. 
Gidross and a friend of his, a Frenchman, were seen to come 
out of the timlier opposite Ionia and start across the river. 
They had found out where the sale was to take place and 
not knowing that the sheriff was on the ground thought it 
a good time to recapture the cattle. When they were across, 
they wa\Td their caps and in a few moments six Indians 
came out of the timber and followed Gidross, 

"There was no little excitement but Barrett was cool 
and told the people (only al)()ut half a dozen) not to be 
frightened but get their guns ready. At the same time 
he sent a messenger down the river to Andrew White and 
his father-in-law, Massenger. not to bring the oxen, but 
to come at once with their rifles. 

"In a few" minutes the Indians were on the Nebraska side 
and they and the Frenchman went into the cabin of the Pierces, 
and soon after two Indians were seen to l)ring H. M. Pierce 
out. he not resisting much. They led him a little w^ay and 
l)egan to trip him. Barrett could plainly see that the In- 
dians felt ugly. He said 'Boys, them cusses mean trouble; 
get your guns.' and led the way followed liy six well armed 
men. 

"As they came into view^ of the Indians, Barrett shouted 
to them with a loud voice and a big oath. 'What in 
h — 1 are you doing there, let that man alone.' It was no 
sooner said than done. They left Pierce and hurried back 
into the cabin. Barrett followed them and ordered them 
out, and gave Gidross and his gang five minutes to get across 



58 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

the river, saying that if they were not off in that time 
he 'would kill every d — d one of them.' Barrett was a large, 
powerful man with a voice eon-esponding in size, and with 
an eye that emphasized every word. The French- 
man said a few words to the Indians and they lost no time 
in getting upon the ice and from there into the Dakota 
timher. 

"After a short consultation it was agreed that it would be 
best to adjourn the sale to Ponca and to have the oxen 
removed there that night. They were accordingly taken 
there, l)ut the following morning no oxen were to be found. 
It was evident the cattle had been followed and stolen and 
weie now across the river. That was the most exciting ex- 
perience we ever had at Ionia with the Indians." 

After the removal in 1S57 of the Poncas to their lands 
beyond the Niobrara, Dixon county was on the route be- 
tween that reservation and that of the Omahas, and liands 
of Indians often passed through from one reservation to the 
other. On their trips they generally behaved themselves, 
though sometimes, as has been said, they frightened settlers 
into giving them what they wanted, that l)eing the Indian 
way of begging. ()ne of these scares was given J. Murphy 
who settled in 1(S57 in South Creek valley, south of Cavan- 
agh's place. In the fall of ISoS a small party of Indians in 
their trip across the country camped for a while near 
Murphy's claim and sometimes stole corn out of his cril) for 
their ponies. One day he found a young Indian in tlu^ crib 
and kicked him out. 

That night at midnight the whole l)antl, twenty or more 
in number came and surrounded his cabin and called to him 
to come out. As he cautiously opened the dooi- an 
Indian reached in and pulled him out by his hair, tearing off 
his shirt in the squal)ble. The Indians then stationed him on 
a knoll where the keen w^ind would, bite his limbs and 
around him formed a ring in whi<di they also placed the 
young fellow who had been kicked. Then singing and 
whooping and pounding a drum, they circled around in a 
war dance, and when the chorus would (*ome in. Mr. Murphy 
would be kicked i)y as many feet as could conveniently 
reach him, and the young Indian would draw his tomahawk 
and pretend he would strike him. 



HISTORY OF DIXON CXJUNTY, NEBRASKA. 59 

Fur an hour or two, the Indians thus enjoyed themselves 
while Murphy's wife and children were begging them not to 
kill him. At last they consented to spare his life if his wife 
would give them all the Hour and bacon she had on hand, 
which she gladly did. Murphy was taken into the house 
where a good hre soon thawed him out, but the fright of 
himself and family was so great that they dared not stay 
there longer, and in a few days they abandoned their claim 
and moved to Dakota county. 

Very often, and especially in the peaceable years follow- 
ing the troubles of 1S(5:], parties of Indians while passing 
through the county on a hunting or visiting tour, would camp 
at night a short distance from Ponca. On such occasions, if 
in summer, the warriors were dressed in their warm weather 
costume of mainly paint and feathers, and were generally 
accompanied by some venerable copper colored patriarch as 
chief in command. If sc^uaws were with such parties they 
were gorgeously arrayed in gaily colored l)lankets, which, 
together with pappooses, ponies, tepees, dogs and the ket- 
tles to cook them in. made up tpiite an interesting al)origi- 
nal crowd. [ 

Sometimes the chief in command would l)e one who had 
been a "big Injun" at an earlier day. One afternoon such a 
party passed through town and camped at their usual place, 
and was said to be in charge of ''Wabashaw,'' one of the 
noted chiefs who had handled the scalping knife and toma- 
hawk with much skill and murder in the Minnesota massa- 
ere a few years before, and who for his misdeeds had been 
sent to rusticate during the l>alance of his life with the rest 
of the Santee tribe on a reservation near Niobrara. Sev- 
eral went out to see and strike up acquaintance with so re- 
nowned a killer, and found him a harmless personification 
of good nature, of whom it was difficult to believe that in 
1S(V2. he used to relentlessly prance down the warpath after 
the whites, his most cherished ornaments ])eing a dozen or 
so of scalps. It is said he was the most fastidious scalper of 
the Santee Sioux, and loved the headgear of women and 
children for ornamental purposes l)etter than any other. 
When last in Minnesota he grieved because he had not suc- 
ceeded in cleaning out the whole state. On the occasion of 
this visit to him. the onh' thing which seemed to trou1)le 



00 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

liis jilacid nature was the fact that water was no k)ng'er cap- 
able of assuaging his thirst, and if his visitors had a bottle 
of hre water with them, he would like to gather a little of 
it under his wings. When his visitors told him they were 
not prepared in that respect, he looked sad and incredulous, 
and refusing to talk to them more, folded his arms and 
gazed contemplatively towards the setting sun. 

Occasionally when a band of Indians came along, the set- 
tlers would have the fun of seeing an Indian dance. Such 
entertainments were grand, gaudy and peculiar, and were 
always witnessed by a large crowd of spectators. A circle 
of ten or fifteen tremendous, face painted warriors would show 
an agility and leg lifting talent entirely different from what 
the white people were accustomed to see. Accompanied by 
music pounded out of a drum or kettle, the performers would 
squat about half way to the ground and hump themselves 
around in a stiff legged sort of way. juggling their bodies up 
and down like jumping-jacks. 

At such times they were always arrayed in l)uckskin 
striped in red and yellow and ornamented by bells, feathers, 
l)eads and fringes. Each carried a tomahawk in hand and 
from a cord around his neck were supposed to be hung the 
scalps he had gathered during the past season. Then, to the 
great enjoyment of settlers, (to whom such an exhibition 
was as good as a circus now-a-days,) the dancers would whoop 
and dance with more fui-y and noise than pandemonium 
turned loose. 

An initation "war dance," in which a grand panoramic 
display of the waving arms and leathery legs of a bewilder- 
ing constellation of bespangled and revolving savages wqth 
flashing knives and red painted tomahawks, usually conclud- 
ed the performances. 

The foregoing are samples of the early Indian exper- 
iences in Dixon county. Many other similar stories could be 
told, but they are as bloodless and scalpless. and of as litth^ 
importance as these we have related. 

In marked contrast to the above trivial, latter (hiy Indian 
stories, are the tales and legends concerning what happened 
here a hundred oi' more years ago. 

Fi-om such legends it appeai-s that the Indians in the old 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 01 

days were much more warlike and cruel than tliose with 
whom the pioneers of Dixon county had to deal. 

The freciuent discoveries that have been made in this 
country of stone arrows, axes and other mementos of the 
ancient inhabitants have kept alive an interest in the legends 
which come down through the many years elapsing since the 
events occurred on which they were founded. 

In 1S75 while at Niobrara the writer was introduced to 
an old Scotchman named McFarline who had lived nearly 
all his lifeas a hunter and scout among the tribes west of 
the Missouri, and was acc[uainted in a great degree, with 
their languages, customs and traditions. Before Dixon 
county was settled by the whites, Mr. McFarline had 
freciuently l)een here, and this region was therefore famil- 
iar to him. He said the last time he was in Dixon county, 
about forty years before, he accompanied a small party of 
Brule Sioux who came with the purpose of trapping and 
hunting, and if occasion offered, of stealing a few horses 
from the Ponca Indians. He said that at that time this 
country was beautiful though wild and uncultivated. It was 
with great pleasure that he talked of the wonderful changes 
which had taken place since that time. 

Among several curious stories of tribes formerly here Mc- 
Farline related the history of a certain blood-thirsty chief, 
Mish-te-ne-wah by name, and of his numerous wars and 
raids ui)on surrounding tribes. It appears that at the com- 
mencement of this century and douljtless during many long 
years before, the country embraced within the counties of 
Northern Nebraska along the river, was densely settled by 
Indians. In Dixon county were several very large Indian 
towns. One of the most extensive was located in the fine 
valley of the Daily and had a large population. Doubtless 
Messrs. Addison, Sherman, Thomas and others whose farms 
are within those old Indian grounds, often hnd such 
mementos as arrow heads, stone axes, pipes, etc. 

At the place where the Daily intersects South Creek, 
near the spot where Martinsburg now is, there was another 
Indian town, a smaller place, however, than the other. 
Three miles this side there was still another village, which 
in an unlucky hour for it was destroyed, and all its inhabi- 
tants—Indians, squaws and pappooses— to the last one 



1 



62 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

were killed and scalped by a raiding- band of Chippeways'. 
The mound marking the resting place of these unfortun- 
ates, is still to be seen. 

There was also an Indian village occupying the ground 
where Ponca is. Another was a1)out three miles east and 
down the valley; and along the l)lutt"s on the north were 
several more. One of these, quite a large town, was on the 
farm of Joseph Brewer. Near where Ionia was, were two 
villages, one of them as large as the town in the Daily 
valley. 

The tough old chief Mish-te-ne-vvah above alhuled to. 
lived in the Indian town in Daily valley. It was his capital 
city and was about eighteen miles west of where Ponca 
now is, and its only monument is the one great tree of the 
valley. There he ruled supreme over a large force of 
warriors. When the spirit moved him to do so. he marched 
out his fighting men and made fearful raids upon the more 
peaceful tribe along the river near Ponca. Mish-te-ne-wah 
was a skillful hand in the fighting and strategical business 
and was therefore generally successful in his [tattles, taking 
large numbers of scalps and conveying home a numerous 
company of prisoners who went with the comfortable assur- 
ance of being burnt at the stake on their arrival. 

But hnally Mish-te-ne-wah came to grief. He came down 
one night with a band of warriors, when a large party 
of Indian hunters went for the marauders and hemming 
them into one of the ravines l)etween Ponca and the river 
captured or killed the whole crowd. 

Those who were taken prisoners wei'e tied to stakes, 
wood piled around them and various interesting ceremonies 
were gone through with, the crowning feature of whi<di was 
the torturing and burning of the captives, who sang 
bravely their war songs until the flames (dioked them off. 
Among the thirty or forty who were captured and burned 
was the warlike Mish-te-ne-wah. 

The place where they had their threads of life burned 
off was, according to Mr. McFarline. about a mile northerly 
from Ponca. This was in a measure coiToboi'ated a few 
years ago by exjjloring a mound on the farm then owned 1)y 
Mr. F. Conrad. There, on one of the high l)lufl's which over- 
look the Missouri, is a mound of circular form about twenty 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. B:} 

feet ill diameter and ten feet in height. Its appearance in- 
dicates that it was constructed by human hands, and a few 
years ago N. S. Porter and others investigated it to see what 
it contained. The ground was packed down very hard, so 
hard that it was almost as impenetrable as rock. With 
great dithculty and labor, the explorers with pickaxes and 
spades were enabled to excavate a hole from the top of the 
mound downward about eight feet and some four feet across. 
They were rewarded l)y hndiiig the bones of numerous 
hninan skeletons. 

These skeletons showed that those buried there were of 
great size, the skulls were large Init thin and the jaw bones 
were powerful and armed with tremendously strong double 
teeth. With these bones they found a quantity of charcoal. 
The skeletons had lieen placed side by side in a sitting posi- 
tion and fronting the north. With them no beads, pipes or 
weapons were found, thus showing that the occupants of 
the mounds had been deprived of their weapons and orna- 
ments before burial. 

It is not unlikely that this was the place of torture and 
Inirial of Mish-te-ne-wah and his Imnd. The presence of 
the charred wood indicated that they were here tortured by 
hre. That they met their death l)y violence and were buried 
without the respect which Indians always bestow up(m their 
friends is shown by the ignominious manner of their burial. 

When Indians bury their friends they place in the graves 
with them their pipes, beads, weapons, etc., in order to 
give them a suitalile outfit to start business in the next 
world. But in this case not an arrow or l)ead was bestowed 
upon them, nor even a pipe with which to enliven the jour- 
ney to the ha])py hunting grounds. 

And from the manner in which the Indians were placed 
it would seem that those who liuried them did not propose 
they should ever get to the happy hunting grounds at all. 
Their faces were turned to the north, away from the sun, 
in which condition according to ancient Indian theology, 
the spirit is supi)Osed to always grope in darkness, thereby 
rendering the chances of success in finding the Indian para- 
dise very doubtful indeed. This is the Indian method of 
cruelty beyond the grave. 



04 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



chaptf;i{ vt. 



Courts and Crimes in Dixon County in 1S70 — Indians 
Brought Before the District Court for the Murder 
OF MuNSON in Wayne County The Court of Judge 
Lynch, and the Trial and Conviction of Mat Miller 
for the Murder of Mr. Dunn — Mysterious Fate of 
James Big ley. 

For several years after the county was organized, people 
were too busy and law abiding to have many lawsuits. 
Once a yeai' a term of district court would be held but there 
were few cases to try, disputes having generally been 
settled by friendly arbitration, x^bout the only use of court 
week was to give to grand and petit jurors, witnesses, sheriff 
and spectators an opportunity to rest from theii* labors, 
renew old acquaintances and enjoy a s()cial)le day or two. 
Discussions as to the crops, the increase of improvements and 
population and the chances of candidates for county office 
were held of more interest than the consideration of any 
civil or criminal (lo(d\et. 

About the only important criminal case ever before the 
district court of the county up to 1S7(> was that of five Win- 
nebagos who had been arrested for murder. The crime was 
not committed in Dixon county, l)ut in Wayne, then attached 
to Dixon for judicial purposes. From the evidence it ap- 
peared that one C. S. Muiison in the earl) part of the sum- 
mer of 1S7(». while at work on his (daim uenv Plum Creek, 
Waynie county, was attacdvcd. killed and scalped by the five 
young Indians in (piesti<m. They killed him and took his 
scalp, not especially' on account of malice but because they 
wished to obtain a "brave" reputation with the tribe. The^v 
were caught on the Winnebago reservation soon after, and 
in August. SherilT Dewitt brought them to I'oiica for trial. 

On the day court was held, two hundred Winnebagos 
arrived in town to protect the interest of their li\e ari'ested 
brethreu, and whether or not -ludge Ci'ounse deemed it un- 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. H?, 

healthy to proceed with the trial he transferred the case to 
Washington county. They were accordingly taken there by 
sheriff. On the route he was waylaid twice by armed bands 
of several hundred Winnebagos who insisted on the release 
of the prisoners, but his hrmness kept them at bay. It was 
only fear of future consequences that saved him on that 
occasion of being scalped himself. However, he sucessfully 
stood them off and went through all right. The prisoners 
were afterwards tried at Blair and convicted and sent to the 
penitentiary. The evidence that convicted them was a scalp 
which was found in one of their tepees and which was 
identihed as Munson's by a peculiar scar or mark. One of 
the prisoners was afterwards reprieved and the others died 
in prison. 

But while a case of murder had never been tried Ijefore 
the district court of Dixon county, there was in 1870 atrial 
of that kind in the court of Judge Lynch. 

In July of that year the county was excited by a tragedy 
within its borders, and for a short time the Arcadian pur- 
suits of peace were laid aside and the citizens became stern 
and relentless judges. 

An account of the murder and of the swift and effectual 
manner in which justice was administered will be interest- 
ing to remember. This prompt method of settling with the 
criminal, in which no delays, new trials nor appeals were 
allowed to defeat the ends of justice, did more thereafter to 
mike wrongdoers avoid the coanty than a wdiole bench of 
l)ig wigged judges and lawyers could do. For several years 
afterwards, if a man wanted to commit murder or steal a 
horse, he was careful to see that it was done outside Dixon 
county lines. 

On the 1st day of July, 1IS7(), an old gentleman named 
Dunn started from his home in Clinton, Iowa, on a visit to 
Northern Nebraska. Mr. Dunn w^as a farmer and not very 
well off" hnancially. and his desire to provide a home for his 
f-imily induced him to make a journey to Nebraska, design- 
ing to purchase a farm if the country suited him. 

Mr. Dunn, by those who knew him in Iowa, is said to 
have been an honest and exemplary man and respected in the 
community where he lived. When he left Clinton, he told 
his wife that he would be absent about a month. He 



i 



66 HISTORY 0¥ DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

wished, he said, to see Dixon county, of which he had heard 
favorable reports, and if the land was as good and cheap as 
represented, he would buy a farm and in a month's time 
would be back after his family. Thus with cheerful antici- 
pations he set out on his journey. 

Mr. Dunn's western trip, until he reached Sioux City, was 
by railroad. There he found further progress would have to 
be made on foot or by stage. In those days there was not, 
as now, a railroad between Sioux City and Ponca and the 
best a traveler could do was to take the stage which made 
two trips per week. If the traveler did not in his move- 
ments hit the starting time of the stage, he would either 
have to remain in Sioux City until its next trip, three days, 
or provide some other means of conveyance. When Mr. 
Dunn arrived in Sioux City he learned that the up-country 
stage had left the morning before. 

In as costly a stopping place as Sioux City was, the 
thought of staying there two or three days was discouraging 
to him. He would have immediately set out on foot, but 
hesitated thus entering a sparsely settled country which he 
was wholly unacquainted with. Fortunately, as it seemed 
to him, he met a young man who said he lived in Dixon 
county and was expecting to go there the next day. He said 
he would go on foot, and he ottered if Mr. Dunn desired, to 
conduct him to Ponca. 

Mr. Dunn gladly accepted the friendly otter, and on the 
next day, July 8, the two crossed the river to Covington and 
started on their walk toward Ponca, twenty-tt\e miles 
distant. The companion of Mr. Dunn was a young man 
about twenty-two years of age. In size he was yet a mere 
boy, having a slight form and a thin, beardless face which, 
however, bore the marks of dissipation. He said his name 
was Mat Miller. 

They left Covington before noon and at three o'clook had 
progressed on their trip as far as the little town of Jackson. 
Here they rested a short time, and then again started on 
their road. As they journeyed along Mr. Dunn appeared much 
pleased with the country which he then saw for the ttrst 
time. In his unsuspecting honesty he did not hesitate to 
tell his youthful companion that the object of his visit 
was to buv a home for himself and familv, and he made 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. (57 

many inquiries as to the quality of land, the price per acre, 
the climate, society, schools and churches. Thus in friendly 
inquiries and conversation the tedium of their walk was 
worn away. 

Half an hour before sundown they came to a little 
stream. Badger Creek, which crossed their road about three 
miles from Ponca. On the bank of this rivulet the w^eary 
travelers saw with pleasure a cool and inviting thicket 
of timber, and entering its refreshing shade they sat down 
to rest a few moments before completing the remainder of 
their journey. 

From the timber, so pleasant and inviting to a man worn 
by a twenty mile tramp over hot and dusty roads, scarcely a 
a sign of life was visible on all the surrounding landscape; 
not a cultivated held could be seen nor habitation excepting 
one homesteader's cabin on a distant hill. 

The road which Mr. Dunn and young Miller had followed 
was not in those days much traveled. To the homesteader's 
family in their cabin on the hill it was an event worthy of 
notice and mention, when they saw the accustomed solitude 
disturbed by })assing travelers. On this occasion the family 
saw the two footmen, (one of whom they recognized as a 
young man whom they had seen in Ponca) long before they 
reached the thicket of timber. They saw them plod wearily 
along and when they reached the timber, saw them enter. 
In half an hour afterwards and just as the sun was going 
down, they saw the young man. Mat Miller come out. The 
other man was not with him. Miller pursued his way 
towards Ponca. 

Twenty-hve years ago, Ponca was not as large a town as 
at present nor was it blessed with its present bustle and busi- 
ness. Two or three stores provided for the town and county, 
a single tavern fed and bedded the few who came in from 
abroad and a single saloon invited the thirsty to enter. Of 
these several institutions, it is probable the saloon did the 
greatest business. It was kept by a man, whose son. Mat 
Miller, had become very reckless and dissipated. He often 
absented himself from home and devoted his time to the 
lowest and vilest haunts of Sioux City. During these ex- 
peditions he had fallen under the influence of one of the 
abandoned sirens of that citv. He was infatuated with her, 



68 HISTOKY i)F DlXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

and she by her seductive wiles not only led him far away 
from honor, bnt took what money he could beg from his 
father or steal from others. On his last visit to his charmer, 
she had warned him that if he expected farther favors and 
friendship from her he must bring her more money, a ))ig 
pile, in fact, or else, to use the expressive language of the 
bagnio, she would "shake him." 

On the evening of the day when Mr. Dunn and Mat 
Miller journeyed on foot towards Ponca, old man Miller, the 
saloon keeper, was roused from the contemplation of his 
row of bottles and the drinkable treasures they contained 
by the arrival of his son. "Hello Mat" and "Hello dad," 
were all the salutations which, in no very gracious manner, 
passed between the pair. Mat went to the bar and helped 
himself to some of his father's strongest poison, and then 
turning to the old man told him that he was going away "for 
good," and if he had any money to give him before he left, 
he wanted it for he was going the very next day. His father 
answered Mat by a surly refusal to give him money then 
or ever. "I don't care." retorted Mat, "1 have more money 
than you have, and I could buy and sell you twice over." 
So saying he drew from his pocket a large roll of bills and 
exultingly displayed them before the old man's eyes. 
"There is what I've got since I've been gone" continued Mat. 
"and I can do it again, and I don't ask any odds of such an 
old fool as you are." "How you earned it." replied his 
father, "T don't know, but I should think in the butcher 
l)usiness, for your bills are all l)lood and so are your shirt 
sleeves." 

A thirsty customer now entering the saloon for his even- 
ing bitters, put an end to this interesting conversation be- 
tween father and son. But though the conversation ended, 
what had been said and the unusual s])ectacle of a roll of 
bills in the hands of xMat Miller had been fastened upon the 
memory of the only spectator of the scene, old Dan Foley, an 
honest but chronically befuddled toper, who, half drunk, 
but not too drunk to see and hear, reclined on a bench in 
the corner. As the customer entered. Mat hastened to put 
the money out of sight, and soon after left the saloon. 

The next day was the 4th of July and was duly kept and 
honored at Ponca by the people of that town and vicinity. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 69 

Matt did not go away that day, as he had declared he would, 
but remained, and no doubt, as far as his blood stained con- 
science would permit, participated in the enjoyments of the 
occasion. In the evening a grand ball wound up the 
festivities and Mat was one of the fiddlers, and, to use the 
words of one who was there, ''fiddled all night without drop- 
ping a note or missing a drink." 

The next morning before "sun up'' Mat left town. He 
was noticed going towards Ponca landing, a mile north on 
the river, and from that time forward he was seen there no 
more, until he was returned to participate in scenes of won- 
derful interest and excitement. It was afterwards learned 
that when Mat left, he crossed the river and went down on 
the Dakota side to Sioux City where he gladdened with 
gifts of money and jewelry the heart of his painted doxy, 
and soon after, accompanied by her, he journeyed to Council 
Bluffs and there among kindred spirits scattered money 
right royally. 

The same day Mat Miller left Ponca. a hunter made a 
discovery in the thicket of timber previously mentioned. It 
was a dead man whom he saw lying there. The head was 
beaten almost to a jelly, the throat was cut from ear to ear 
and the body had as many as twenty stabs. In the pool of 
blood surrounding the corpse, were seen the club and knife 
which had been used to complete the cruel work. The clul) 
was the hickory cane which Mr. Dunn had carried. 

When a murder is committed in a law-abiding commun- 
ity, it naturally creates far greater excitement and indigna- 
tion than it would in localities where such crimes are of 
frecjuent occurrence. Here was a murdered man, who, 
when due investigation was made by the coroner's jury and 
on examination of the papers discovered on the body, was 
found to be Mr. Dunn whose arrival in Ponca had been ex- 
pected for ten days past by those with whom he had corres- 
ponded in relation to purchasing land. That he had been 
murdered for his money there could be no doubt. Who had 
(h)ne this damnable deed? Evidence was immediately forth- 
coming. There were those who remembered seeing Mr. 
Dunn and Mat Miller leave Covington on foot together. At 
Jackson their presence was recalled. The homesteader's 
family saw them enter the thicket together, and soon after- 



iO HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

wards saw Mat go away alone. The bloody knife was recog- 
nized as one which Mat had bought at a store in Ponca a 
few weeks before. Old Dan Foley cudgeled his alcoholic 
brain and brought out what he had seen and heard when 
Mat and his father had their talk in the saloon. From all 
this evidence, the conclusion was inevitable that Mat Miller 
was the red handed criminal. 

Then eager enquiries were made for him. There was ex- 
treme anxiety that he l)e punished. Here was a man who 
had been struck down while coming to be one of the good 
citizens of the county. Anger excited every breast and the 
whole community burned with a desire to see that such 
swift, retributive justice be done to the murderer, that in all 
future time the memory of it would protect others from a 
similar violence. But where was Mat Miller? 

Sheriff Dewitt hunted for him. His inquiries tracked 
him to Sioux City. From there he followed his trail to 
Council Bluffs, and there, riotously squandering the mcmey 
of his victim, the sheriff found him. 

On the 2;3rd day of July, Sheriff Dewitt brought Mat 
Miller in irons back to Ponca. Then the people of the 
county, impelled by the stern determination to see justice 
done without delay, assembled and took Mat from the 
sheriff, and before a self-organized and orderly tribunal, 
held in a church and presided over by a minister of the gos- 
pel, tried him for his crime. 

Mat confessed his guilt. He related to the people that 
when resting in the thicket of timber with Mr. Dunn, 
the thought first came into his mind to kill him. 

He said he wanted money for the girl he loved in Sioux 
City. K he had money, she would go away with him where 
they could always live together. If he did not get money 
she threatened to discard him. As he thus reasoned to him- 
self he drew his knife and attacked his victim. He stabbed 
him repeatedly and lest those terrible wounds were not enough 
to kill him, cut his throat and crushed his head with a club. 
Then without remorse he robbed the body, and bore away 
the harvest of money he had acquired. 

This was substantially his confession. A vote was taken 
by the great jury of 500 people assembled in the church, 
whether the criminal should be punished by hanging. Al- 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 71 

most unaDimoiLsly that question was decided in the affirma- 
tive. Whereupon tlie reverend presiding ofhcer, who had 
opened tlie investigation with prayer and iiad conducted 
the proceedings witli soiemnity and decorum, now sentenced 
the criminal to deatli. The prisoner was placed in a wagon 
and immediately taken to the western end of towai for exe- 
cution. 

The gallows consisted of three scantlings joined at the 
top. The wagon was driven beneath, the rope adjusted to 
the prisoner's neck and the wagon drawn from under him. 
His neck was not broken and hence his sufferings must 
have been great. At the end of thirty minutes it was an- 
nounced he was dead. The body was then taken down, 
placed in a coffin and removed to the church where, an hour 
before, the trial had been held. The next nnn-ning it was 
buried. 

Several months after the summary trial and hanging of 
Mat Miller there were vague rumors bearing on his case. 
One was that by the skill of doctors he had after his hanging 
been brought back to life again. Another rumor was to the 
effect that it was known to at least four of those who at- 
tended the burial, that instead of the body of Mat Miller it 
Avas a cofhn of brick which was interred. Still another 
ramor was listened to and believed by some, that he had 
been seen on the Omaha reservation. One night, a few 
years afte]- the hanging, a citizen insisted that he saw him 
on the streets of Ponca. 

All these rumors were, however, found to be ill founded. 
To settle the question, a number of citizens opened Mat 
Miller's grave and were convinced that it was Mat himself, 
and not a coffin of brick, which had been buried. 

Such is the history of Mat Miller's crime, trial and hang- 
ing. That he deserved the fate he received none will deny. 
And in view of usual court proceedings in criminal cases, 
can we not believe that the services of eJudge Lynch are 
sometime necessary. 

It was thought by some of the f)ld settlers that the mur- 
der of Mr. Dunn was not the hrst crime of the kind which 
Mat Miller had been concerned in. In iSKi) James Bigley 
and his brother. William Bigley, and W. D. Long were keep- 
ing a grocery store in Ponca. One day in the fall, James 



72 HISTORY OF DIXON (XJUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

Bigley went to Sioux City to get some repairs for a thresh- 
ing machine and also to pay $400 to Booge & (Jo. for goods 
for the store. 

At Sioux City in the evening, Bigley was seen on the 
streets by several who knew him, and an old friend, Fitz- 
gibbons, who lived in Sioux City, desired him to go home 
with him and stay over night but he refused. 

Next morning Bigley was missing. His coat and hat 
were found on the steamboat Miner which was lying there, 
but he was never found, and from that day to this his 
fate has been a matter of mystery and conjecture. Among 
the many rumors, it was said that he was seen that 
evening with Mat Miller and a fellow called "Fiddler Jim," 
and that they killed and rob])ed him at a house near Perry 
Creek and after the murder put the coat and hat on the 
steamboat as a blind. Whether there was any truth in the 
story it is now impossible to say. Mr. Bigley was a good 
citizen, upright in his dealings and benehcial to the com- 
munitv where he lived. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 73 



CHAPTER VII. 

Story of a Rascally Little Railroad -The Covington, 
Columbus and Black Hills Narrow Gauge Enterprise 
— Its Rise and Career — Its Exploits in Finances and 
Building and its Final Sale by a Receiver. 

Old settlers of the county remember the general anxiety, 
twenty-live years ago, to have railroad connection with the 
outside world. In 1869 the so-called St. Paul and Nebraska 
Railroad company had offered to build such a road if bonds 
were voted to aid the enterprise. The project fell through 
and for several years thereafter railroad building here was 
dormant. But as time went on and the need of such a road 
grew more urgent, citizens seemed willing to do most any- 
thing l)y way of aid could they but see the cars rolling into 
Dixon county. 

In July, is7;i their hopes were aroused for a short time 
by the announcement that the St. Paul and Nel)raska Com- 
pany would that year build from Sioux City to Jackson, 
twelve miles, and from there to some point in Dixon county. 
All this was. however, mere talk; the St. Paul and Nebraska 
Company could not out of its own funds have built a rod of 
road. It was supposed by many to be simply a scheme to 
make a stake out of Dakota and Dixon counties. 

In 1S74. discoveries of gold in the Black Hills and the 
great rush of people to that point increased the railroad 
fever. Dixon county was on the route then followed from 
Sioux City to the Hills and it seemed reasonable that the 
long desired road would now come. Nor were people mis- 
taken. In l!S75 several capitalists or pretended capitalists 
whose lack of funds was compensated by hardness of cheek, 
came together at Sioux City and concocted the "Covington, 
Columbus and Black Hills railroad" scheme. It was pro- 
posed to build a road commencing at Covington, and run- 
ning west through Dakota. Dixon. Cedar and Knox counties. 



74 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

and from thence by one branch to the HilLs and by another 
to Columbus, there making connection with the Union Pa- 
cific. The name given to the proposed road, "the Coving- 
ton, Columbus (t Bhick Hills" expressed the points of de- 
parture and termination. 

After the scheme had been fully prepared, the men in 
charge of it devoted several months to soliciting aid from 
several counties. At a meeting of the county commission- 
ers of Dixon county, held November 24, 1875, a committee 
of smooth and plausil)le men, mainly of Sioux City, headed 
by J. B. Hubbell of Mankato, Minn., appeared and submit- 
ted their proposition, which in substance v^^as as follows: 

If Dixon county will donate to the Covington, Columbus 
& Black Hills Railroad Company, $S7,()(I0 in the coupon 
bonds of said county, dated January 1, 1S7(), payable in 
twenty years, with interest semi-annually at the rate of ten 
per cent per annum, said company will build a railroad fi'om 
Covington, Nebraska, to and through said county, upon the 
most practicable route east and west. 

When said railroad is graded to the center section line of 
range hve, the builders shall have $'20, (100 of said bonds, 
and when the road is completed from Covington into the 
county three miles, and trains running, the company will 
receive the remainder of the bonds. 

The grading to said center section line to be completed 
within a year, and the completion of the three miles into 
the county, within hfteen months from November 24. 1S75. 

After due consideration, the county commissioners. 
Messrs. 0. P. Sullenberger. W. H. Clark and J. Martin, de- 
termined to submit the proposition to the voters and for that 
purpose ordered an election held December 27, 1875. At 
such election hve hundred and seventy-two votes were cast, 
of which four hundred and sixty were for railroad bonds, 
and one hundred and twelve against, thereby carrying the 
proposition by more than a two-thirds vote. 

The C. C. & B. H. Co. made similar propositions to Da- 
kota county on the east and to the counties of Cedar and 
Knox on the west, all of which voted the bonds asked for. 

On April 20, 1S76, the company commenced at Covington 
to grade their road, and pushed it forward with vigor, hop- 
ing to reach Ponca by July 4, that town having been de- 
cided by the company to l)e on the best and most practica- 
l)le route. The i-oad was not built into the countv as soon 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 75 

as July 4, but in September it was completed and cars run- 
ning between Covington and Ponca, and the grading finished 
to the center section line of range five, and thereupon the 
bonds were turned over to the company, $20,000, on Sep- 
tember IGth, and $67,000 on September 22; total $87,000. 

But though the letter of the contract had been complied 
with so the commissioners could not refuse to turn over the 
bonds to the company, yet the road had not been completed 
in good faith and according to the implied understanding. 

The amount of bonds donated, justified the people in be- 
lieving they were to have a road of standard guage, solidly 
built, and wdth the best kind of ties and iron. Instead of 
that, fraud seemed to be written all over it. A little con- 
temptible affair, with a three and a half foot guage and con- 
structed throughout with cheap and inferior material and 
labor. No wonder people were disappointed and enraged. 
They had saddled on the county a debt of $S7,0()(I for a road 
which could have cost little more than that sum, and the 
thought naturally arose whether so much fraud and ill faith 
on the part of the company did not release the county from 
paying the $S7,01)(), or any part of it. 

In the meanwhile, insigniticant as the road would have 
jjeen in a country where railroads were frequent, its coming 
gave the county quite a push for a short time. It was sup- 
posed there would be more desirable markets for what was 
bought or sold, that people would come and locate, and that 
re il estate of all kinds would be more in demand and at 
l)etter prices. These hopes only in a very small measure 
were realized. 

The beneht was trivial compared with what it would 
have been had the road been of standard guage and first 
class construction. Grain, cattle and hogs could then have 
been shipped direct to Chicago without changing cars at 
Covington or Sioux City. 

The fact was. the cost of sending a car of cattle or pro- 
duce to Sioux City over the narrow guage and then chang- 
ing to a car of standard guage was fully as great as it w^as 
to send them by wagon in the old fashioned way. Hence 
aside from the amusement of seeing the little engine and 
rattle trap train of cars creep out in the morning and creep 
in at night, one hardly saw any great benefit therefrom and 



7t) HISTORY OF DIXUN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

especially a benefit e(|uivalent to the gift of $87,000. 
When people thought of these matters, and reflected how 
gross and expensive a swindle it had been to them, how 
much had been paid and how little received, their indigna- 
tion grew until almost uncontrollable. 

In the spring of 1S77 the work of grading west of Ponca, 
was resumed. (Irading was pretended to be done to the 
west side of the county and from there to the center of 
Cedar county and a certain amount of work had to be done 
before such bonds could be claimed. Fortunately for Cedar 
county, a sensible mob assembled one day at St. Helena and 
seized the bonds amounting to $150,000 and made a bonfire 
of them. Thus that county was saved the grief and expense 
of a big suit in the United States Court. 

Knox county had also the good fortune and good sense to 
destroy their bonds. Towards fall the company began to 
feel hard up. There were no more couuties to plunder of 
bonds and hence no more bonds to sell. Men who had 
worked on the grade for the company, clamored for their 
pay. 

As to the road as far as it was built and operated, it did 
not pay expenses. Sometimes a run would be made between 
Ponca and Covington without a single passenger or pound 
of freight and nine times out of ten there were not over 
three or four passengers. Not a very prosperous outlook, 
certainly, for the railroad company. 

Towards the fall of 1S77 the company had a new general 
manager, one Davenport, who was said to l)e as remorseless 
an old scoundrel as ever struck the country. So unpopular 
did he become in a short time with the workmen that he 
was in danger of pei-sonal \iolence. Once it was rumored 
he had been shot by a grader who could get no pay for his 
work, and it was said by one who had more wit than sym- 
pathy, that the rumor was circulated for the purpose of 
raising the market value of the company's stock. 

At one time several hundred unpaid men who had l)een 
working on the grade west of New Castle were at (-ovington 
waiting for their pay. Either by some knot of red tape or 
with hopes of weai'ing them out. the crowd of men were 
kept dancing attendance from dav to day, all on expense, 
many of them wholly destitute aid actually suffering for 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 77 

the necessaries of life, waiting for the wages due them, and 
as it appeared, waiting in vain. The feelings of the crowd 
seemed exceedingly vindictive towards General Manager 
Davenport. One day a hungry but resolute looking in- 
dividual made the following brief remarks: "We are here 
after our pay and we are going to have it, you bet. If we 
don't get it, we'll help the devil to foreclose his mortgage 
on old Davenport." With these words he made a horrible 
grimace and putting his hand on his throat stuck out his 
tongue and pointed significantly to a tree near by. 

Another story which was told and which helped to excite 
the wide spread indignation was: A man had worked two 
months on the grade in Cedar county. His wife and 
children were in Sioux City. To them he sent the vouchers 
he had received for his w^ork and his wife went to the office 
of the C. C. & B. H. Company to get the money. The 
general manager listened to her request with insolent 
indifference and gruffly told her he had no money for 
her. She told him of the destitution of herself and 
family and implored him to pay a part at least. She offered 
to let him have the vouchers for her husband's work for 
five dollars. She offered them for $3; for $-2; for $1.50. To 
all her appeals she merely received a grunt of disapproval, 
and the poor w^oman retired from the pi'esence of that 
dignitary in tears and despair. 

Such are samples of the numerous stories of injustice 
which were told of the C. C. & B. H. Company. It is said 
that hundreds were kept out of their earnings, in fact were 
never paid, and that not the slightest ettOrt was made by the 
company to meet its obligations or to relieve the distress 
of the defrauded workmen. There were in that company two 
or three honorable men, but they were in the minority and 
to them these criticisms do not refer. 

In September an application was made to Judge Dillon 
of the United States Court to place the road in the hands of 
a receiver. The application was denied, but the Judge 
stated that if the company failed to proceed in good faith 
and without delay in the construction of the road, a receiver 
would be appointed. 

The existence ot the company continued longer than any 
one expected. It struggled, lied and swindled its way along 



78 HISTORY OF DIXUN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

through the fall, winter and spring and tinally in May, 1878, 
was placed in the hands of Judge Love, of Des Moines, Iowa, 
as receiver. It was said the company was then indebted for 
work done on the road to the amount of $75,(KM) and that 
not a dollar of it was ever paid. 

From that time forward there was nothing done on the 
road even to keep it in repair. The worthless cottonwood 
ties crumbled with old age and rottenness and the 
rails degenerated into two parallel streaks of rust. The 
little train trundled n^) and down between Ponca and Cov- 
ington every day, on time or off, it mattered little, as it 
generally carried neither passengers nor freight. It was a 
worthless fraud and had been from the start. 

Finally to the joy of everybody, it was. in October. 1879, 
sold by order of the United States Court to the corporation 
now known as the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha 
R. R. Company and in a few months a great change for the 
better took place. The track was widened to standard 
guage, new ties and rails replaced the wretched cottonwood 
sticks and worthless strap iron and the bridges and road bed 
were reconstructed. From a roaring and costly farce the 
road soon became and has since continued one of the best 
in the state. The ancient habit of running slow (acquired 
during the days of the C. C. & B. H., when, it was said, the 
solitary passenger could liold long conversations with farmers 
plowing in neighboring fields and only ceased when the 
plow beat the train,) no longer wears time and patience. 

As to the |87,(I0(), action was commenced against the 
county in the United States Circuit Court in 1878 and was 
afterwards appealed to the Supreme Court of the United 
States and there in 1884 was finally decided in favor of the 
county. Thus freed from claims and out of debt the county 
could joyfully admit the truth of the maxim that "all is well 
that ends well." 

In this ett'ort to extort from Dixon county $87.0(1(1 foi- 
three miles of pocket railroad, it was believed that some of 
the leading business men of Sioux City had much to do, and 
had played a part as shameless as that of Shylock in his 
resolve to cut out the heart of Antonio. Whether the be- 
lief was well founded or not, it created a distrust of that 
city which still continues and will require years to remove. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 79 



CHAPTER VIII. 

The Growth of the County Continued The South Half 
OF THE County Commences Settling up — Martinsburg 
Started in 1872 — Blizzards and Loss of Life in 1872 

— Grasshoppers in 1874, 1875 and 1876 — The Black 
Hills Excitement of 1875 and the C. C. & B. H. R. R. 

— The Increase in Size and Business of Ponca. Mar- 
TiNSBURG AND New Castle — The Earthquake of 1877 

First Steps Toward an Agricultural Society 
Terrible Prairie Fires in March 1879. 

During- the years in which the C. C. & B. H. R. R. Co. 
troubles, briefly related in the last chapter, were foremost 
in the minds of citizens, the county was gradually increasing 
in wealth and population. There were occasional short 
crops, especially during the grasshopper years of 1874 and 
1875, but otherwise the general prosperity of the county was; 
all that could be expected. 

Before 18(59 the southern half of the county had been 
almost entirely unsettled, and in a very large proportion of 
the balance of the county, there was much vacant land, 
hi '59. '70 and '71, the region of country now known 
as Wakeheld, Logan, Emerson, Concord, Springbank and 
Daily townships, began to grow in citizens and improve- 
ments. 

The flrst white settlers of Wakefield and I^ogan town- 
ships came there in 18B9. As the years went by their num- 
bers were slowly added to. Springbank had previously but 
a handful of settlers, but in that year and afterwards had 
many. To Daily in '70 and '71 came a large number; and 
Clark had its flrst resident in 1871. Galena, which had 
already had a few residents, made rapid increase in 1870 and 
following years. The same may also be said of Silver Creek, 
Hooker, Ionia, Otter Creek and Ponca townships. Emerson, 
Wakefield and Logan did not for several years grow as 



80 HISTORY OF DiXON COUNTY. NEBKA«KA. 

rapidly as the other townships we have named. Though 
having excellent land and presenting unusual attractions, 
the lack of markets and railroad facilities kept them in the 
background in a great measure until LSHl when the Norfolk 
branch of the St. Paul railroad was built through them. 

The healthy increase in population from and after 1870 is 
seen by figures. In the summer of 1870 the number was 
1,345, and in 1875. •2.8S(), a gain of over 20 per cent each year. 
New farms and improvements were more and more seen as 
time went on and occasionally a new post office, mill or 
small center of trade would be started. 

Martinsburg, a pleasant and prosperous village in Galena 
township was founded by Jonathan Martin in 1S72. It is 
situated at the junction of South and Daily Creeks and near 
the center of the county, and being surrounded by a wide 
area of rich farming land, and having an excellent water 
powder it was thought it would develop into a successful rival 
of Ponca for county seat honors. In 1873 a grist mill was 
built by Mr. Martin which was soon after destroyed by a 
freshet and was the next year rebuilt. Other branches of 
of business were also soon after started, a store, hotel, black- 
smith shop, etc., and several dwelling houses. Afterwards 
in 1875, an effort was made to remove the county seat to 
Martinsburg, and at the election held, October 12. of that 
year to decide the question, that town came within about a 
dozen votes of winning the prize. A second unsuccessful 
attempt to remove the county seat to that place was made a 
few years later. It will so continue to result until Martins- 
burg is connected with other places by railroad, when it will 
probably become one of the most important towns in the 
county. 

During the interval of 1870 and 1S75 the growth of Ponca 
village was small, although it was the principal trading- 
point for a large extent of country and did a good business. 
But it lacked railroad facilities and hence could not expect 
to be a desirable market town. When the narrow gauge 
railroad project was started, Ponca as well as a large part of 
the county were strongly in favor of it. It came as has been 
seen, but it was of little l)enetit until it fell into better 
hands several vears afterwards. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. isl 

Dixon county and especially in the southern half of it 
where there were no hills and timber to give protection, was 
noted in an early day for its tremendous prairie hres in the 
spring- and summer and for its l)lizzards in the winter. In 
the northern part where the country was rougher and the 
grass less luxuriant, hres were generally kept under control. 
But in the southern valleys and great stretches of unbroken 
and nearly level land covered by a dense growth of dry and 
inflammable grass, with neither trees or hills to ward off the 
wind, a hre once started swept everything lief ore it with 
irresistable power. In later years it has been different, 
droves and plowed fields subdne the fury of fire and wind 
and settlers with ordinary care can feel secure. 

As to blizzards, they were worse in the unprotected 
level lands of the southern part of the county. A blizzard 
swept the county February 12, 1S7"2, and was especially 
terril)le in tlie Logan valley. On the morning of that day, 
Joseph Bolsom (who lived in the southeast corner of what is 
known as Concord township and who came there in 1S71) 
went with (1. W. Packer of Logan to Graves' grove on South 
Creek, two miles away, to get wood. The day was clear and 
no hint was given of a coming storm. They went to the 
grove, each with a team and sled, and had loaded up and 
started for home, Bolsom in advance, when the blizzard struck 
them. It was impossible to see the road or each other and 
each had to guess his way through the storm as best he 
could. Packer went through to Hind's house in Logan all 
right, arriving there late in the afternoon. He felt no 
anxiety for Bolsom whom he supposed had also made a safe 
trip home. 'Jlie next morning the air was again clear and 
still, and Packer saw Bolsom's team standing in the valley 
half a mile away, no one near them. Packer hastened down 
to see what the trouble was and found Bolsom lying on the 
ground near the sled, nearly covered by snow and frozen 
stiff". It was supposed that he had been wandering around 
nearly all night before finally succum])ing to the storm. 
During the same blizzard, old man ''Austin" as he was called, 
wdio since 1S(59 had lived near the Taft post office a few 
miles from Logan, went about six miles to get w^ood on the 
Winnebago reservation, and was lost in the storm and 
perished. 



82 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

One day in P'ebruary of the next winter, Henry Harden, 
who lived near the Bolsoni phice went with his sleigh and 
horses to see a neighbor, Spaulding. who lived a mile 
distant. He was accompanied by his grandson, a l)oy twelve 
years old. While at Spanlding's place a Idizzard came up 
and Harden and his grandson made a start for home. 
Neither was ever again seen alive and Harden was never 
seen at all. Two days after, the sleigh was found and in it 
the l)oy frozen to death. The horses had there become de- 
tached from the sleigh, and as their tracks showed, they 
went with the storm and in the direction of the reservation. 
There they were found afterwards. Mr. Harden was never 
found. 

The first death in the county of a white man by freezing 
was that of Daniel Donlin and occurred February 18, LSOB. 
He had been to kSioux City and on his return was caught by a 
blizzard and perished within a mile of home. He lived in 
(lalena, a short distance from where Martinsburg now is, 
removing there in 1S5() from Iowa. 

Such are among the blizzard experiences of the early 
settlers and probably are the worst. Lives were not often lost 
though there were many narrow escapes. 

As the prosperous years went l)y, settlers hardly e\'er 
thought of the grasshopper raid of 1S57 or reflected that 
the 'hoppers were liable to come again. From this forgetful- 
ness they were awakened one day in the summer of 1S78, by 
the arrival of a small cloud of them from the northwest 
which came down upon the helds and gardens. They re- 
mained but a short time and did little damage. They gave 
notice, however, that they still continued on earth and as 
was afterwards seen were the trivial advance guard of an 
innumerable host the year after. 

In the east, the destructive western grasshopper is hardly 
known, but here their appearance heralds annihilation to 
every growing ci'op. 'I'he abiding home of these raiders is 
on the high, dry plateaus of New Mexico and Arizoua and 
the foot hills of the Rocky Mountains. There they niulti|>ly 
with astonishing rapidity and become to numerous to sub- 
sist, and then like bees, they swarm and migrate to other 
countries. They go with the wind, flying until hunger 
brings them down, and then woe to the held they alight on. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. SH 

From their home in the mountains tliey do not all go at one 
time nor to one place. They become widely separated after 
starting, but in almost any case, whether the grand army or 
some principal detachment, they are as the sands of the sea, 
myriads of millions. Coming in the distance they look like 
a light cloud rapidly riding on the wind, and under the 
blazing noon day sun they glitter like snow flakes, extend- 
ing from near the ground to the height of half a mile. 
When they drop down to feed, every green thing is covered 
in a minute and they sweep everything eatable before them. 

Such was the visitation which Nebraska received from 
them in the summer of 1874. It was a calamity none could 
foresee or avoid. 

They came in countless myriads, sometimes in such dense 
clouds as to obscure the sun. The morning of the day they 
came, the fields promised a great harvest of corn, wheat and 
vegetables. At noon the hoppers had come in force, the air 
was full of them, and every stalk of corn and wheat, every 
tree, every species of vegetation even to the grass was black 
with them, and when night came nearly every growing crop 
had been destroyed. Therefore there was nothing of im- 
])ortance raised that year. 

Suffering, of course, ensued, and many, fearing a recur- 
rence of the scourge, sold their farms for whatever they 
could get and left the country. Those who thus made haste 
to leave, have without doubt often regretted their action. 
The 'hoppers came again the next year, (1875) but in less 
force and in 187(i a few scattering ones only. That was the 
last of them. Since then scarce one has been seen in Dixon 
<*ounty 

In the spring of 1875, several matters of importance to 
the county diverted attention from the bad results of the 
grasshopper raid of the year before. One was the conven- 
tion to amend the state constitution, and on April 6, S. 
H. Coats was elected county delegate. Another matter of 
still greater interest, was the recent discovery of gold in the 
Black Hills and the rush which then commenced of thou- 
sands of adventurers to that country. 

On April IG, the hrst Black Hills party (the Andrews Com- 
pany, organized at Sioux City and containing seventy-eight 
men and fifteen wagons) passed through the county on their 



84 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

way, camping at Pouca their tirst niglitoiit. This was the 
last town the}' would see on their trip. This tinst company 
was soon followed by many others. It was a long, tedious 
journey to the "Hills" in those days and accompanied with 
much danger. There were no railroads to convey them and 
no towns on the route to receive them or furnish supplies. 
The usual time of making a trip was about forty (hiys. It 
was through a wild country, much of it desert, that the 
dreary forty days' journey had to be taken. Many became 
sick and some died on the route from hardship and exposure, 
and a few were killed by the Indians, who, regarding the 
Black Hills as sacred Indian ground, did all in their power 
to drive back or destroy those who were invading it. Being 
on the main travelled route to the "Hills," was the cause of 
the invention of the Black Hills Kailroad scheme through 
Dixon county. 

After the grasshopper raids were over, the greatest dam- 
age l)eing in 1S74. and the loss in 75 and '7() not to exceed 5 
per cent, the county quickly recovered its usual courage. 

The county thus far in its life had been ably conducted 
by those in charge of its affairs. In the selection of county 
officers, citizens had looked more to the fitness of the candi- 
dates for office than to the i)()litical party they belonged to. 
Hience, from the hrst. some favorites were democrats and 
others were republicans and if an incumV)ent was compe- 
tent, faithful and popular, he generally held the office as 
long as he wished, whatever his politics, or even if he had no 
politics at all. 

The non-partisan course thus adopted was one whi(di was 
judicious. It really matters little as to party in selecting a 
county officer. If he does his work faithfully and is guided 
by fairness and honesty, nothing more can i-easonably be 
asked. 

During the first few years of the county, the d(Mnocratic 
party was niiicli tiie sti-ongest. although since then that 
rule has been reversed, yet the i)roportion of democrats 
elected to county office was no greater, considering their 
number, than that of the republicans. As the county became 
older, party lines were more strictly observed, yet always, 
even to this time, the ability and ])ersonal popularity of a 
nominee for countv office, is more regarded than his i)olitics. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 85 

In 1875 the board of couiiiiissioners had submitted to 
them the proposition of the C. C. & B. H. R. R. Co. to build 
their road into the county if $87,000 in bonds were donated, 
and the election to decide the question resulted in favor of 
it. The history of this swindle we have given. Suffice it 
here to say, the road was pushed along by its managers, and 
entered Ponca in September, 1876, with cheek and assurance, 
and with an extended hand for the $87,000. 

Being narrow guage, its arrival did not help the county 
as much as had been expected. Really, aside from the name 
of having a railroad, it was practically of little value. It 
was as cheap to carry passengers or produce to Sioux City 
by wagon as it was by rail. 

In Ponca several hundred village lots were donated to the 
Railroad Company and a right of way granted through the 
town. A depot and a few other l)uildings were erected, and 
people kept up as good courage as could be expected with an 
$87,000 debt staring them in the face. 

The coming of the road did not increase the value of 
or demand for real estate in Ponca or in the county to 
any great extent. During the fall of '76 a few residences 
were built and occasionally a business house. However, al- 
though the business of the place did not increase much, it 
was certainly as good as before the road was built. The lo- 
cation of Ponca gave it as in the past, the patronage of a 
great number of settlers. Aside from the tooting of the 
whistle of the little railroad train the town moved along much 
as usual. 

Among other improvements in 1876. if it be called an 
improvement, Ponca was incorporated, and henceforth a 
board of trustees looked after its streets and sidewalks and 
controlled its affairs. Ponca had years before been incor- 
porated, but the annual election of village officers had been 
neglected and finally given up. 

In the spring of 1877, Ponca had three general stores, two 
hardware and two drug stores, one bank, two hotels, a grist 
mill, harness shop, market, furniture store, lumber yard, 
grain dealers, insurance and real estate agents, two physi- 
cians, five attorneys, etc. The population of the place was 
claimed to be at that time, about eight hundred. 



sti HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

In the summer and fall, work was slowly going forward 
on the railroad grade between Ponca and New Castle and 
from the latter place to the center of Cedar county. 

In June, 1S77, a cheese factory was started near Ponca by 
Heydon and Wilbur and run two months. The factory closed 
August 23, having made in two months 2,0()() pounds of cheese. 
This was one of the lirst cheese factory experiments in the 
county. 

In tlie same year Stough and Mikesell built a large brick 
store on the corner of East and Third streets, two stories 
high, twenty-eight feet wide, and extending back on East 
street, eighty feet. This was the first brick lousiness house 
in Ponca. 

The question of having township organization in Dixon 
county was discussed in the summer and fall, and at the 
election held November (5, 1S77, was voted on. Two hundred 
and forty-three votes were cast in favor of and two hundred 
and forty-two votes against it. thus carrying the proposition 
l)y a majority of one. It came to nothing, however, forin the 
January following, the supreme court of the state decided 
the township organization law inoperative and void. 

In 1S77, the attention of some of the farmers was turned 
to the profit of wool growing. In October, Joseph Morton 
shipped 2,720 pounds of wool to market, and received a good 
price for it. This was not a great thing, but was a stui-ter. 

Martinsburg and New Castle were active in 1S77. At 
Martinsburg, Wright and Lockwood's store and Diiren's mill 
did a large lousiness and a cheese factory and otlier buildings 
were contemplated. At New Castle the expected C. C. A: H. 
H. R. K. kept things booming. 

At noon. November 15. 1S77. t\w county was shaken by 
an earthquake, the worst this (unuitry had exi)ei-ieuce(l for 
many years, and for about a minute everything seemed to 
be on the move. Ilonses shook and swung, windows and 
doors clattered, trees and chimneys tottered and wood piles 
rumbled their logs, and foi- the time being all nature trem- 
bled with rage. 'V\w pei'formance was soon over, how- 
ever, and but little harm occurred except to a few broken win- 
dows. .\t .John H. Arnist)-ong"s farm in South Creek valley- 
and Kev. Hutchinson's ])lace in Daily the shock was cpiite 
severe. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 87 

hi the same inoiitli of the earthquake, though perhaps 
not occasioned by it, Ponca started its first brass band, the 
members being Prof. Davis, Guy Wilbur, Lovel Jones, Fred 
Burroughs, John Stough, Jr., Fred Powers, J. A. Mikesell 
and J. B. Barnes. 

The fuel question was always an important one in Dixon 
county, and particularly in the southern part where timber 
was scarce. Hence the announcement in the fall of 1S77 
that an eighty acre bed of excellent peat had been discov- 
ered near Park Hill, (Logan township), excited general at- 
tention for a short time. But excitement in this country, 
whether over coal or peat, are not lasting, people having 
come to the wise conclusion that there is more warmth in 
the imagination of the tinder of coal or peat than there is 
in the article found. 

On January 1, bS7cS, the railroad grading was reported to 
have been completed and bridge piles driven from Ponca to 
seventeen miles beyond New Castle. Aside from criticizing 
the railroad and its officers, a more useful subject of thought 
began to occupy attention. An agricultural society for 
Dixon county had been favorably thought of for several 
years by the farmers, and especially that winter. This agi- 
tation in favor of an agricultural society resulted the next 
spring in a mass meeting held, (April U), 1S7S) in Ponca, 
when the preliminary steps toward such a society were 
taken. A committee was appointed to draft a constitution 
and by-laws, and report proceedings at an adjourned meet- 
ing. May 4. This was done and the constitution and by-laws 
were accepted. S. I. Hart of South Creek was elected presi- 
dent of the society; L. T. Hill, of Ionia, vice-president; W. 
W. Atkinson, of Daily Branch, treasurer, and J. U. LaFol- 
lette, of Ponca, secretary. Several other meetings were 
held in the summer but that was substantially all that was 
(hnie that year in behalf of Dixon county's agricultural so- 
ciety. 

At the annual school meeting in Ponca, April 1, 1S78, it 
was voted to build a new school house to cost $8,000. The 
house was built by Leech and Todd and was completed in 
September. A large amf)unt of building was done in 1878 
throughout the county. Crops had been good the year be- 
fore and the present prospects were in every way promising. 



88 HISTORY Of DIXOJS COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

As Oil nearly every previous 4th of July since 1S()5, that 
day was duly honored this year. Celebrations were held at 
Ponca, New Castle and Martinsburg, and patriotism was 
shown in speeches, music, sociable picnic dinners, dancing 
and horse racing, winding up with grand displays of hre 
works in the evening. 

Among other improvements. Rev. W. H. Clark built the 
Silver Ridge Seminary (in Silver Creek township) and opened 
it for school in July. It was a large building and commodi- 
ously arranged for scholars. It was continued several years 
but was finally given up. not being sufficiently patronized to 
make it successful. 

The year closed with full granaries ami corn cribs and 
good prices for produce of all kinds. Wheat had yielded 
from twenty to thirty bushels to the acre. 

hi the latter part of March, 1S71), terrible prairie hres oc- 
curred and great losses ensued in consecjuence. On March 
is. a hre commencing near Daily Branch, was the prelude to 
a devastating conflagration which swept over the central 
part of the county the next day. Under the influence of a 
hurricane, the hre was irresistable in its course of destruc- 
tion, jumping roads and creeks with ease and could not be 
checked by any ordinary hre guards. 

About noon David Holmes while hghting hre about half 
a mile from Martinsburg, was surrounded and fatally burned. 
He was taken to the hotel at Martinslmrg. Drs. Hasseii and 
Rowe were called, yet so shockingly was he burned that he 
died the next day. Mr. Holmes" farm near Martins! turg was 
swept of everything coinbustil)le. except his house. His 
stable, hay, horses, etc., were burned, the value of which was 
about $700. 

The houses of Jud Holmes, Win. Holmes. D.M. Nelan and 
Geo. Mattison were also burned and all tlieii" contents. Manly 
Wyman, Ceo. Castle and W. C. Smith, lost everything from 
their farms but the hous<'s. 

In the surrounding ocean of flaine, it seemed almost a 
miracle that Martinsburg village was not burned up. and it 
would have been l)ut foi- the herculean exertions of the citi- 
zens. 

Before reaching the vicinity of .Martinsburg the tire ran 
over the farm of Sheriff Jones on Silver Creek, burning cribs 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 89 

and stables, and liuiidreds of Imshels of wheat, corn and oats. 
His grove, one of the best in the country and covering six 
acres, was utterly destroyed; only his house was saved. 

The farms of Samuel and Thomas Jones were also visited, 
burning twelve acres of groves, hay, etc. 

The hre swept over several farms of residents of Otter 
Creek, among whom T. Marron and Mr. Bales had their houses 
burned, and Mr. Casey lost everything but his house. 

On March 29 and 30, there were more tires. In Hooker pre- 
cinct much property was destroyed. Wm. Bailey, D. D. Grif- 
feth, J. W. Johnson, John Cummings. Wm. Pfister and John 
Powers were the worst sufferers, many of them losing hoases, 
barns, farm machinery, grain, hay and fences. Prairie fires 
so destructive and uncontrollalile never before or since 
occurred in the county and with ordinary care never may 
again. 



90 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



CHAPTER IX. 

The Coal Discoveries, and the Ups and Downs of Mining 
IN Dixon County During the Past 38 Years — The 
Alleged Immense Beds of Black Diamonds in the River 
Bluffs and the Determined Efforts to Find Them 
Have Seductive Hope Before and Black Disappoint- 
ment Following After Every Attempt to Find a 
Paying vein is a Total Failure — "Old Joe Brewer" 
AND HIS Discovery of the Plesiosaurus — His Mound 
Building Theories The Tonia Volcano and Indian 
Superstitions Regarding it. 

The brief allusion, a few pages back, to the fuel question 
and its importance to residents, will remind old settlers that 
at various times much hope and excitement has been 
aroused in the county over the alleged discovery of coal. 
It will be well to give a history of the various efforts to 
mine for coal since the county was hrst settled. 

In 1(857 some of the settlers while examining the river 
near Ponca landing, discovered cropping out of the base of 
the bluffs, a thin layer of inferior coal, or more properly, 
lignite. With the hope that this thin layer would increase 
in thickness and improve in quality as it extended under the 
hill, a number of the citizens, among whom were the Stough 
Brothers and E. M. Bisbee, made efforts in that year to open 
and work the vein. As they drifted into the bluff', they were 
for a time encouraged in the hope of developing a rich and 
valuable mine, the layer of coal becoming thicker and better 
as they proceeded in. 

Where it cropped out at the foot of the bluff, its thicdv- 
ness was but three or four inches. Within, at a distance of 
thirty feet, the thickness was found to be fifteen inches. 
The coal at the outset was utterly worthless, and was useful 
only as a hint and suggestion of a more valuable ffnd farther 
back under the rocks. The encouraged miners did indeed find 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 91 

a better quality as they progressed with their drift, but it was, 
after all, and at the best, but a poor quality of lignite. 

In the absence of wood, it would answer as an apology 
for fuel. But with the abundant timl)er which this county 
was blessed with, especially along the river, the alleged coal 
hnd was worthless. The greatest thickness of the vein 
never exceeded eighteen inches, and the coal itself, charged 
with sulphur, emitted such Stygian and suffocating fumes 
that few w^ould after one trial ever attempt to l)urn it again. 

Messrs. Stough. Bisbee and others who were engaged in 
it, finally came to the conclusion that time and money would 
l)e foolishly squandered by continuing their coal exploration 
and so abandoned it. 

But the extreme anxiety to hnd coal in this country and 
the fear that our supply of timber would fail to meet the 
constantly increasing demand for it. soon after induced Mr. 
Bisbee to open another mine a short distance from the first 
one. He drifted in al)out sixty feet but found no improve- 
ment in thickness and quality. The same dirty and sulphur 
laden material was met with, and when burned, the same 
unbearable fumes discouraged further efforts. 

Professors Aughey and Hayden, both of whom were noted 
geologists, visited this locality at about that time (ISf)?) 
to see the coal of which much had been published, and their 
decision was that the vein was not, properly speaking, coal. 

It was merely lignite, coal in its infancy, and might after 
ages, become coal. It is safe to say that neither Mr. Bisbee 
oi- others desii-ed to wait that length of time to make a 
paying coal business, and again coal mining was dropped 
foi' ])ursuits which had a nearer ] rotit. So the matter rested; 
awhile. 

However, the adverse verdict of Professors Aughey and 
Heydon was in a measure forgotten after a few years and 
other confident explorers started in from time to time to 
try their hands at making a 1)etter coal discovery in the 
l)luffs. 

In 1S74 Joseph Brewer ivvho the year before, dug out the. 
IMcsiosaurus. an account of which will be given in tliis 
clia]»tei-) dug into the bluff about twenty feet and announced 
that he had struck a wonderfully thick layer of excellent 
coal. Much excitement was caused l)y his rei)ort and many 



93 HISTORY Ob' DIXUJN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

went to see his discovery. They found Mr. Brewer prodding 
into the same old vein which had been ineffectually labored 
in years before, and in which he had a thickness of al)out 
hfteen inches. What little he was enabled to get out, he 
had a sale for, but at the price received could barely earn 
enough to keep famine at bay, and hence in a short time, he 
too, like the others who had preceded him, flung up the 
sponge and retired from the business. 

In the spring following, (1875) several enthusiastic parties 
formed a company to open another hole into the bluff in 
search of coal. One of the company by the name of Werni- 
mont was recently from Eastern Iowa and claimed to be an 
expert in geology and especially in coal and stated that 
nearly all his life had been devoted to it. 

It was afterwards learned that his labors in that respect 
had l)een of a practical nature rather than scientific and that 
his experience had been previously confined to handling a 
pick at $1.50 per day in an Iowa coal bank. But what he 
lacked in knowledge of geological formations he kept to 
himself and courageously asserted that Professors Aughey 
and Heydon were entirely mistaken in disbelieving in the 
existence of a paying deposit of excellent coal a few hundred 
feet farther under the bluff'. 

Accordingly Prof. Wernimont started bravely in, he fur- 
nishing the science and labor and the others the money, and 
in a few weeks had penetrated the bluff' to the distance of 
one hundred and thirty-five feet, the mine being hve feet 
high and six feet wide. In that distance he was never able to 
get under solid rock, nor did the coal become thicker or 
better, and it looked after all, as though Profs. Aughey and 
Heydon might possibly be right and Prof. Wernimont 
wrong. At the end of one hundred and thirty-five feet. 
Prof. Wernimont drilled down perpendicularly to the depth 
of ninety-five feet, when finding nothing and his courage, 
oozing out, his scientific labors were brought to a close. 

Soon after this, Mr. Bisbee's ambition to possess a rich 
coal mine revived again and he commenced to re-open the 
old mine he had worked in years before. He and his men 
worked diligently and drifted in about one hundred feet. 
But like Prof. Wernimont, he found no improvement in the 
coal. He got out considerable, however, which was sold for 



HISTORY OF DIXON OOUNTY, NEBRASKA. 93 

fuel. But as was seen in the former efforts to ))arii it, the 
sulphurous smell of it, (suggestive of that torrid country 
where sulphur is a main article in business) rendered it 
unht for use unless one held his nose. 

One day while Mr. Bisbee was laboring in his mine, the 
roof fell upon him and crushed him badly. Not fatally, 
fortunately, although several months elapsed before he could 
get around again. This disastrous incident dampened his 
mining enthusiasm and he quit it like the many explorers 
and investigators who had gone l)ef()re him. 

Then the coal l)usiness took another long rest and the 
next experience of the kind was in ISSO when a stock 
company was formed for the purpose of exploring deep down 
into the bowels of the earth in search of a thicker and 
better quality of coal than that which had been worked in 
the bluffs. The conrpany raised the necessary money, pur- 
chased an engine and drill, and eni})loyed a number of 
experienced men. 

After several months' labor on the Heydon farm a mile 
west of Ponca, a hole was drilled to the depth of hve hun- 
dred and seventy-six feet. There it was announced a vein 
of coal was found, four feet thick. Under the advice of 
Prof. Aughey the company proceeded on down, expecting to 
hnd a still thi(d\er vein within a short distance. 

Before hnding the thicker vein the drill broke off and 
was lost in the hole and the labor terminated. As to the 
alleged four foot vein, it was, on reffection, deemed a matter 
of doubt whether any coal had been found at all. So much 
doubt, in fact, that no one felt like contributing money to 
sink a shaft. Hence this exploration went the same l)eaten 
road of former efforts. 

Again there was a lull in the coal exploring business but 
after several years people again forgot their misfortunes and 
failures in this respect and gave the coal business another 
trial. 

Tn 1IS87 a company was formed under the leadership of 
one Newman, a Cornish miner, so called, and a new drift 
was made into the river bluff's. The company went into the 
hill al)out three hundred and fifty feet, finding the same sort 
and thickness of coal, no better and no worse, than that 
which Brewer, Wernimont and the others had found years 



94 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

before. Hence, in time that effort petered out and tlie com- 
pany disbanded. 

One would think that after all these numerous failures 
in which not a single glimmer of hope was given to cheer 
and encourage, people would have been shy about having 
anything more to do with coal mining in this vicinity. 
They were shy for a while, but not for long. 

In the fall of ISSS another company was organized and 
with a diamond pointed core drill, a prospect hole was put 
down to a depth of seven hundred feet, on a lot in the north- 
ern part of Ponca. The core, which was carefully taken 
out and preserved, showed not the slightest indications of 
coal. The fact is, there is no coal here as has been conclus- 
ively proven l)y the long series of costly investigations. 

Since the failure with the core drill, there have been no 
farther efforts to date, to hunt out a coal vein. As years go 
l)y. however, people may again forget their former ))ad luck 
and try it again. 

We referred previously in this chapter to the unearth- 
ing of the "plesiosaurus" by Mr. Brewer, and a brief account 
of it and of Mr. Brewer's other discoveries will l)e inter- 
esting. 

"Old Joe Brewer" familiar to all in Dixon county twenty 
years ago, had little education that had not been derived 
from experience instead of books. He owned what is now 
the farm of H. 1. Brown, two miles northwest of Ponca. 
There, with a family of fifteen children, Mr. Brewer lived 
many years. He was a man whose study was nature and 
whose unfaltering enthusiasm and expectation led him to 
see wonders in every hill and to expect valuable minerals in 
the rocks and slopes of every ravine. 

His land, which extended to the river a fearful array of 
bluff's and gorges, was in his belief the place where mound 
builders many ages ago had lived. He pointed out excava- 
tions and artificial mounds which he believed corroborated 
his conclusions, and exhibited bones and fragments of pot- 
tery which he had found. The place where he claimed this 
ancient city to have been was on the bluffs, and three hun- 
dred feet above the Missouri. 

From that elevated position a wide view is had in every 
direction: across the level Dakota land to the north and 



H18TORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 95 

for miles up aiul down the river, and on a clear day the 
buildings of Sioux City are plainly visible. That this ele- 
vated land was the home of mound builders may be doubt- 
ed, although it is likely that a large Indian village had been 
located there, a hundred or more years ago. 

Along the precipice of rock which bounded the river side 
of this ''mound builders' city," Mr. Brewer devoted much 
time to exploration. He tried to find gold, silver and other 
minerals; he also delved for coal, and in 1S74 rediscovered the 
worthless vein which Bisl)ee and others had before and since 
tried to make profitable. The only thing wdiich Mr. Brewer 
ever found in all his explorations which was of value, was 
a petrified skeleton of some great antediluvian animal, said 
to be the remains of a plesiosaurus. 

One day in the spring of 1S73 while passing along at the 
foot of the precipice, Mr. Brewer noticed that the high 
water of the river which is ever encroaching and undermin- 
ing, had caused a large fragment of rock to fall. On exam- 
ining the place, he observed that an immense skeleton had 
been in part revealed. It was near the bluff that he found a 
small part of the fossil protruding, the remainder of it was 
still covered by the ledge of rocks three hundred feet high. 
With little idea of wdiat animal it had been or of what value 
it would be to the scientihc world, Mr. Brewer and his sons 
set to work to dig it out. Had care been used in the exca- 
vation, a most valuable petrihcation would have been ob- 
tained. As stated, it was afterwards found to be the petri- 
fied bones of a plesiosaurus, the second one that had ever 
been discovered. Hence if brought to the outer world in as 
perfect condition as it was found b.v Mr. Brewer it would 
have been a most important discovery. But the digging it 
out was nearly the ruin of it. With crow bar and pick axe 
and careless indifference w^hether one broke the rock or the 
fossil, the diggers were as destructive as a bull in a china 
house. So that when the bones were all dug out they were 
broken into a hundred pieces. Yet, badly as the break- 
ing was, the immense pile of l)ones showed that the animal 
had been one of the most enormous of the ancient denizens 
of the earth. 

The bones were sold soon after by Mr. Brewer to some 
parties residing in Covington and they removed them to 



96 HISTORY OF DIXON (.HJUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

Sioux City, and the bones thus badl}' broken were after niueli 
labor cemented together again. 

The size of the petrification could now be better seen. Its 
length was about eighty feet, and the backbone was eighteen 
inches through it. The weight was over six tons. The rep- 
tile when alive couhl not have been less than 1(10 feet long, 
and could lift its head thirty-hve feet a])ove the ground. 
Prof. Aughey. the state geologist, stated that the animal 
lived over hve hundred thousand years ago. 

After its fragments had been cemented together the pet- 
rihcation was exhibited in Sioux City and elsewhere by the 
Covington parties, and was hnally taken to Chicago and sold 
to a museum there. 

Another of Dixon county's curiosities and which at- 
tracted as much attention twenty years ago as the plesios- 
aurus or coal mines, was its volcano at Ionia. It was hrst 
seen by white men in 1S04 and was then discovered by the 
Lewis and Clark exj)loriug expedition, the hrst comi)any of 
white men who for purposes of observation, ever visited the 
country now forming the state of Nebraska. 

The passage of the Lewis and Clark expedition up the 
Missouri was marked by many adventures and disco\eries. 
They often landed on the western shore, and going back of 
the ranges of bluffs, saw a beautiful and densely populated 
countiT. On the gently rolling praii'ies which stretched 
away to the west, they noted great herds of butt'alo and an 
unending variet\' of game in the forests and hsh in the lakes 
and streams. The copper colored inhabitants were friendly 
and hospitable, and intercourse with them was not marked 
by the treachery wdiicli in later times has generally been as- 
sociated with the name of "Indian." 

The expedition landed at two or three places in Dixon 
county, and at the place kuow^n of late years as the "Ionia 
Volcano" they stopped several days to investigate the plic- 
nomenon which was, as since, an interesting mystery. 
Here, as at other points on their route, they were welcomed 
by the Indians with the utmost courtesy and hospitality. 
Fish and game were su|)plied them and joyful Indian dances 

were held in theii- ho •. By the aid of their interpreter, 

the travelers were made acquainted with several stories and 
old legends relating to the tril)es wdio then and in still more 



HISTORY i)V DIX(JN COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 97 

ancient days had lived in tiii.s country, their towns, wars and 
most noted warriors, their laws, customs and amusements. 
Among other things the voyagers were told the legends 
especially relating to the volcano and the story of the elves 
aud supernatural inhal)itants on Spirit Mound, a few miles 
above and on the opposite side of the river. Thus with 
feasting and i)leasure the travelers passed a several enjoyable 
days, and their departure up the river was a source of regret 
to the friendly tribe whose guests they were. 

The so called 'ionia Volcano" is (or more properly speak- 
ing was until bSTS, when the river undermined and swept 
it away) located on the bank of the Missouri, in Dixon 
county, at Ionia, al)out twelve miles above Ponca and thirty- 
six miles from Sioux City. The bluff that has exhibited the 
phenomena ascribed to volcanic action was about 1,100 feet 
long, and 1(50 feet high, and sloped irregularly to the river. 

The phenomena witnessed on this bluff led many to be- 
lieve that the presence of a genuine volcano was indicated. 
Sounds were heard proceeding from below, especially on 
placing the ear to the ground. Occasionally flames were 
seen to l)reak forth, especially at night, as at that time they 
were more easily observed. Steam also escaped from num- 
l)erless crevices and where openings were made the heat be- 
came too intense to proceed further. Some of the lime 
stone was changed to cpiick lime, and the temperature of 
some portions of tlie interior was sufficient to raise it to a 
red heat. Incrustations of mineral salts were abundant on 
top and on the sides of the mass, and like all the rock of 
this description along the Missouri, crystals were abundant. 

The rocks at this point are, as geologists inform us, of 
the cretaceous age, and largely composed of carbonate of 
lime. Innumerable crystals are also found of the bi-sul- 
phide of iron which is popularly known as "fools gold.'' 
or iron jjyiites. 

Now. at this so called volcano the heat was occasioned, 
not by internal flres but by the decomposition of the iron 
pyrites and the carbonates of lime and magnesia, such de- 
composition being occasioned by exposure to air or water. 

One of the histories of the voyage of Lewis and Clark, 
while speaking of the discovery by them of this remarkable 
l»urning mound, mentions that this phenomenon was well 



98 HISTORY UF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

known to the wild tribes scattered along the river and had 
from time immemorial, been regarded with much supersti- 
tions fear. Evil Manitons were supposed to dwell in the sul- 
phurous hres, and many legends in which they were alluded to, 
were handed down from one generation to another, and lost 
none of their interest by the transition nor by the vivid im- 
agination of the narrators. Elsewhere in this liook will 
be found one of the principal legends referred to. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 99 



CH AFTER X. 

The Building of the Railroad up the Logan Valley and 
ITS Great Help in Settling up the Southern Part of 
THE County — The Terrible Winter of 1880-81 — 
The Spring Break-up of the Ice in the Missouri and 
THE Damage and Loss of Life Ensuing — Great Bend 
IS Out Off From Dixon Oounty by a Ohange of the 
River and Becomes a Part of Dakota Territory — The 
Flood at Ponca and Along the Aoway and Logan — The 
Starting of Wakefield in 1881 -A Tragedy Near 
Newcastle — The Agricultural Society Project Re- 
vived AND THE First Oounty Fair in September, 1882 
— Record of General Growth — Indian Raid on Emer- 
son — Organization of the First G. A. R. Post in 
Oounty — Brief Review at end of 1882. 

As stated in chapter seven, the hope that Dixon county's 
narrow gauge railroad would pass into other and better 
hands, was realized in the fall of 1879, and soon a general 
overhauling and improvement ensued. 

Oommencement was also made by the new owners of the 
road to build from Ooburn Junction, between Jackson and 
Dakota Oity, a branch line to the southeastern corner of 
Dixon county (where Emerson now is) and from there a line 
to Omaha and another to Norfolk. The Norfolk branch 
would run up Logan valley, and thus aid in opening the 
southern part of the county to settlement. There was 
also talk of extending the Ponca branch into Oedar county, 
either by the way of New Oastle or Martinsburg. Oedar 
county was asked to vote bonds but its narrow escape from 
being" bitten by the 0. 0. ct B. H. Co.. defeated the pro- 
posed extension. 

The Logan valley under the stimulus of the expected 
Norfolk branch railroad, rapidly came into notice in 1880. 
Manv settlers were seen moving in and buying farms which 



100 HISTORY OF DIXU^' COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

coLikl be ol)tained iit from $2 to ^rl per acre. (That land 
now sells readily for $25 to $40 per acre.) On October 14, 
the railroad company bought one hundred acres of land at 
Demy's Junction (Kmerson)for a town site. In November 
the road was comi)leted and cars running to Omaha from 
Coburn Junction, so that Ponca had direct communication 
with that city. 

In this year i ISSdi this country liad a short autumn. On 
October 15, a great storm of snow covered everything and 
plunged the countr>' at once into winter. The winter thus 
commenced continued until the next April. The river was 
frozen over November LS, and remained so until in the 
spring it l)roke up and swept away a large amount of 
property. The winter which thus commenced so early, 
found farmers ill ju'epared for it. The corn was not all 
harvested and preparations for the housing of stock were 
in many instances not completed. 

The winter showed no mercy. A succession of storms 
swept across the country in untiring and persistent rapidity. 
Railroads in all sections were l)locked by snow, till regular 
trains became a n()\elty and more accidents were caused 
than tner before (hiring the same length of time in the 
history of railroading. To add to the discomfort and danger 
in the northern portion of the county, small pox broke out 
across the river in Dakota. Fortunately it did not extend to 
the Nebraska side. But bad as the winter was and much as 
was the suffering occasioned l)y it. the worst was yet to 
come. When in Ai)ril the snow melted and the rivers and 
streams were overflowing their l)anks, then disaster com- 
menced in earnest. 

When the Missouri broke uj). Dakota for many niih's uj) 
and down the rivei' and for twenty miles back from it. ap- 
peared from the bluffs on the Nebraska side, as a vast sea 
tilled with floating ice. 'i'he country thus submerged was 
the richest and most beautiful in Dakota territory. It was 
tilled with highly cultivated farms, the hue dwellings and 
groves of which evinced comfort and prosperity. Now all 
that splendid region was overwhelmed with water and great 
masses of ice. and chaos and desti'uction ruled supreme. 
Tremendous gorges were foi'uied at many points which were 
rapidly added to. so that between Sioux City and Niobrara 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 101 

the extent of such gorj^es up and down the river was not less 
than 75 miles. Just below Ponca landing was an ice gorge 
12 miles long and extending across the river and for 
miles into Dakota. It was packed solid to the bottom and 
rose above the water from ten to twenty feet. This enorm- 
ous mass, tens of thousands of tons of ice, blocked up the 
course of the river and threw it over on the Dakota bottoms, 
literally drowning out all the country until stopped by 
bluffs. ' 

It was reported that Niobrara w^as destroyed, that Yank- 
ton was in a great part under water and that Green Island, 
in Cedar county across the river from Yankton, was totally 
swept away. These reports were not greatly exaggerated. 
Every building in Green Island was carried away, and men, 
women and children were seen clinging to trees or on float- 
ing buildings or cakes of ice. By great exertions the lives 
of all at that place w^ere saved. 

Among the buildings seen floating past St. Helena was a 
church from Santee agency, the bell of which flttingly tolled 
a requium over the scene of destruction. At Vermillion its 
business part was under water from ten toflfteen feet. Op- 
posite Vermillion was the peninsula of Great Bend, around 
which the river had its course. The river cut a channel 
across the neck of the peninsula and therefore left that large 
part of Dixon county attached to Dakota. The people living 
on the peninsula escaped by boats. The channel across the 
neck of Great Bend was not cut by the force of the water 
running over from the upper side, but by undermining the 
bank on the lower or east end of the new channel, which 
kept caving off' till within a short distance of the upper cur- 
rent, when with a mighty roar that could be heard for miles, 
the river broke through, and a new^ channel for that part of 
the Missouri was made. 

The peninsula of Great Bend was one of the largest on 
the river. It was in the form of an elongated ox-bow very 
narrow at the points. Across its neck was only half a 
mile, while to make the distance around by the river it was 
necessary to pull about eighteen miles against a stiff' current. 
This freak of the river left Vermillion an inland town so far 
as the Missouri is concerned by about three miles. 

The farm of Mons Nelson lav on the neck of Great Bend, 



102 HISTORY OF DIXON (BOUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

and the channel cut across, taking his Inuldings and im- 
provements and literally destroying the farm. Thus, Great 
Bend, hitherto belonging to Dixon county, and having rich 
lands and the richest body of timber within a hundred miles 
became an island lielonging to Dakota. 

On the river bottoms of the Dixon conntysideof the river, 
as on the low lands in Dakota, not a farm escaped the 
devastating raid of water and ice. Houses, barns, and im- 
provements were greatly wrecked and many destroyed, and 
the loss in cattle drow^ned and other personal pi-operty 
ruined or carried off was enormous. J. Brocke in the north- 
western part of the county, near the river, had a good house 
and barn, sixty head of cattle, nine horses, farm machinery, 
etc. The river came upon him and ruined him in one night. 
Huge cakes of ice dashed in his house, his barn was wrecked 
and with its contents washed away, and his horses and 
cattle were drowned. In the neighborhood of Mr. Brocke, 
several hundred head of cattle w^ere drowned, every farm was 
deluged to the depth of from ten to fifteen feet and the in- 
habitants lost everything and were indeed glad to escape 
wath their lives. 

Such is an outline of the great Hood of the spring of ISSI 
so far as it related to the Missouri liver bottoms in Dixon 
county. There were great floods also, along the Aoway and 
Logan, l)ut aside from carrying off' a few bridges the loss was 
comparatively trifling. 

In Pouca, on that occasion, people saw^ Venice without 
going away from home. A large part of the town appeared 
as tliough Iniilt in the sea. Four spans of the new railroad 
bridge went out, and eighty rods of railroad track were de- 
moralized and in part carried off'. Sidewalks rose from 
their foundations and sailed away and piles of cord wood 
were distril)uted in all directions. Cellars, generally, were 
filled and many residences and some business houses had 
water from one to four feet deep above the lower floor. Tt 
was unpleasant except to those who enjoyed navigating the 
streets on rafts l)ut it was nothing compared to the loss and 
suffering on the Missouri bottoms. 

At Martinsburg the damage w^as not as great as had been 
expected, the main losses being a part of the mill dam and 
the bridge across South Creek. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 108 

In spite of Hood or other mishaps, the citizens continued 
in the season of 1881 in good heart, and ph^wed, planted, 
harvested and improved with usual energy and had suc- 
cess and good crops. 

During this season the line of the Norfolk branch of the 
railroad then building up the Logan valley, was vigorously 
pushed, and in August the new town of Wakefield was 
started. The first building was the barn of Mr, Skinner, fol- 
lowed by D. D. Lash's hotel. J. T. Marriott's store and sev- 
eral dwelling houses. Mr. Marriott became the town's first 
postmaster — October 31. The railroad was completed to 
that point in December, and a commodious depot was hn- 
ished al)out the hrst of January. The town was named 
after Chief Engineer Wakefield who located the railroad 
line from Emerson to Norfolk. The town of Wakefield, 
thus advantageously located and having a fine water power 
and a rich trilnitary country around it, started with encour- 
aging prospects. In the previous spring and summer many 
had settled in Logan valley, and within a radius of hve 
miles around Wakeheld about sixty farms had been opened 
and improved. 

The central and northern part of the county during ISSI, 
were not behind the Logan valley, and new farms were 
opened and new houses, barns, groves and helds were seen 
in every direction. 

On November 10, 1881, a tragedy took place at the farm 
of W. H. Aucmoody, a few miles northwest of New Castle, 
'{'he cattle of a neighbor, L. S. Bishop, had strayed upon the 
land of Auchmoody. Bishop came for the cattle and at- 
tempted to retake them, whereupon Auchmoody shot him. 
from the effects of which he died a few days after. Auch- 
moody was afterwards tried, convicted of manslaughter and 
sent to the penitentiary two years. 

In February, 1882, the agricultural society project, 
which had slept since 1878, was revived. A meeting of 
prominent farmers met February 17, at Ponca, and resolved 
that Dixon county should no longer be without an agricul- 
tural society and fair. A committee was appointed to draft 
the constitution and by-laws of the society, which, at an ad- 
journed meeting in March were adopted, and P. G. Wright 
of South Creek, was elected president, and Dayton Ward, of 



104 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Silver Creek, secretary. At a subsequent meeting held May 
27, it was decided to locate the fair grounds at Ponca, that 
town having donated $500 to the society. The time fixed 
for holding the fair was September 6, 7 and S. Forty acres 
of land were procured for fair grounds a short distance 
northwest of town and steps were taken to make the fair 
successful. 

The fair was (hily held at the time and place appointed 
and was largely attended. The grounds had been suitably 
prepared, and Iniildings for offices and an amphitheater for 
the accommodation of those who attended had been built. 
There was also a half mile race course and stalls and stables 
for horses and cattle. This, the first fair of Dixon county, 
was a success, not only in the display of fat cattle, horses, 
hogs, corn, grain, vegetables, fruits and flowers ])ut also in 
the social enjoyment it brought to old friends who met there. 

The first day of the fair was devoted mainly to making- 
entries and arranging articles for exhibition. On this day 
also, eating houses, lemonade stands, shooting galleries, 
swings, etc., were put up and by night things looked gay and 
attractive. On the second day an immense crowd attended 
from all parts of the county. Horse racing, ladies riding, an 
eloquent address by Lieut. Norris and a thousand other in- 
teresting matters made an enjoyable bill of fare to all present. 

The number was also large on the third day. There was 
horse racing, mule racing, glass ball shooting, etc., and the 
examination of the articles on exhibition and the decision 
of the judges. At niglit when the fair closed, it was declared 
without a dissenting voice that this, the first fair in Dixon 
county, had been triumph that could bespoken of with pride 
by the citizens. 

The amount of money taken for gate money and stands, 
swings, etc., was $42o.20, enough to pay premiums and del)ts 
and have something left to keep things in order and fix up 
for another year. Dixon County's Agricultural Society and 
Fair, thus auspiciously inaugurated has continued from that 
year to this and its fair has since been regularly and success- 
fully held every year, excepting 1S94. 

The record of general growth in the county in 1SS2 was 
fully up to what it had been in previous years. Wakefield, 
commenced the fall before, had in March (lSS2i two general 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 105 

stores, a hardware store, a Ijaiik, hotel, di'ug store, lumber 
yard, grain buyers and ware houses and numerous offices, 
shops and dwellings. In the spring, Philo (Iraves, one of 
the proprietors of the townsite, built a school house and 
donated it to the town. Village lots w^ere in demand and 
were selling at good prices. It was thought Wakeheld would 
double in size and population before the close of the year. 
At Ponca a creamery was started in April as well as various 
other enterprises of general beneht. 

At a suburb of the new town of Emerson the citizens had 
an experience. May 6, not altogether pleasurable. The suburb 
w^as a mere collection of temporary shanties planted on land 
belonging to the Winnebago reservation where it had no 
right to be. Those who put up the shanties, probabh never 
thought the day would come when retributive justice would 
visit them in the shape of a war like Indian chief and anni- 
hilate their works. But so it turned out. On May 5, the 
Winnel)agos solemnly decreed in council to blot that part 
of Emerson out of existence and early the next morning the 
residents suddenly heard issuing from the mists along the 
plain the hoarse voices of the Winnel)ago retributionists who 
were advancing in force upon the place. 

Mounted on ponies and presumably carrying an irresista- 
ble arsenal, the Indian band rode into the town and ordered 
the people to get otf the reservation forthwith, giving them 
one houT in which to do so. Then there was a wild huiry- 
ing and scurrying to and fro. No one thought of offering 
resistance, but all went to work and soon their tow^n, to the 
last board of the last shanty was toted off the reservation 
and up the hill. There, whe.re is now^ the prosperous town 
of Emerson the discomhtted squatters on Indian land rebuilt 
their homes before resting from their toil. The Indian 
braves shook their lists after their vanquished foes and then 
hied back to their tribe. 

Aside from this little raid on Emerson, (which more ludi- 
croas than serious, is here inserted to break the monotony 
of dry facts and figures,) there wTre no occurrences in the 
county in the spring and summer that readers will specially 
care to hear of, except the rapid settlement, good health and 
cheerful outlook. On the Eourth. the good times seemed to 
increase patriotism, so that on that day the usual celebrations 



1 



106 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

were largely attended and iiiiich enjoyed at Ponca, Martins- 
burg, New Castle, AVakefield, Springbank and other points in 
the county. 

After the agricultural fair was over, (previously described 
in this chai)ter) the old soldiers on Octol)er 4, held an enjoy- 
able re-union in Ponca, on which occasion a post of the Grand 
Army of the Republic was organized. The name given it 
was Stoneman Post and the following officers were elected: 
L. W. Herring, post commander: J. T. Finch, senior vice-com- 
mander: E. R. Richmond, junior vice-commander: A. G. 
Kingsbury, adjutant: J. W. Jones, officer of the day; Jacob 
Sides, surgeon: Elijah Beller, quartermaster: and T. J. Caffee, 
sergeant major. 

Late in the fall of 1SS2, the great brick flouring mill of 
Ponca Mill Company was finished and commenced business. 
This was a most im})ortant help, not only to the town, but 
to all the tributary country. 

A few words in review of the county and towns as they 
were at the end of 1SS2 may now be interesting. 

Ponca, located in a beautiful valley and then developed into 
a town of about 1,200 inhabitants, had many pi-osperous bus- 
iness establishments and enterprises, fine schools, churches 
and residences, and it seemed that it would in the near future 
become far more extensive. 

Between Ponca and the healthily growing town of Mar- 
tinsburg at the junction of two wide valleys, and from there 
up South Creek and over the divide to the Logan, one saw 
a continuous succession ofsi)len(lid farms, fine farm houses, 
buildings and groves and numerous herds of cattle. 

Another of Dixon county's lively towns, Wakefield, 
located in the valley of the Logan, largely had the trade of 
the southern part of the county. Two years before. Wake- 
fiald did not exist, but now had five hundred inhabitants. 

Twelve miles northwest of Ponca was New Castle, which 
contained a hotel, a large store, a school, a Catholic church, 
residences, etc. From New Castle across the country to 
Daily Branch, as well as through Silver Creek and along the 
valley between Ponca and New Castle a grand and thickly 
settled country was seen. 

Dixon county was, then as now, all right. Its location 
on tha Missouri, jjives it alony- that river, vast forests of 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 107 

timber, comprising oak. elm, eottoiiwood iiiul blaek walnut. 
Back from the river the county is traversed by the rich 
valleys of* the Logan, Silver Creek. Daily, South Creek and 
Aoway, which with their numerous trilmtaries, are wonder- 
ful hay producing regions, five tons to the acre being not an 
unusual yield, wdiile the ranges of hills between the valleys 
are the l)est of pasture lands. In all the county there is not 
a marsh nor an acre of poor land. On the contrary the soil is 
from two to six feet deep, and is equal to any in the world, 
as is shown by its crops of corn and wheat. Hence the old 
saying ''that an acre of Dixon county land is equal to live 
in the Genesee valley," is not so wild an assertion as might 
at first be supi)osed. In all the valleys are clear, cold and 
unfailing streams and indeed there is scarcely a quarter 
section in the whole county that is not well watered. 

With all these advantages of rich soil, meadow, pasture, 
water and wood in abundance, the whole presenting a land- 
scape of surpassing beauty, and over the whole a clear air 
and healthy climate, Dixon county is naturally a favorite 
with those seeking homes in the west. 



108 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



CHAPTER XI. 

From 1888 to 1SS6- -The Agricultural Society Holds its 
Annual Fairs — Talk of a Railroad Bridge — Robbery 
OF THE County Treasury — Treasurer Knapp and his 
Bondsmen — Township Organization Voted on in 1S83 
AND Goes into Effect in 1886 — Another County Seat 
Project Voted on — (treat Storm in June, 1885 — 
Murder of Alexander by Blair in 1885. 

The year of 1888. was without events of more than ordi- 
nary nature. There was some talk this year as there had 
been in 1882 of rebonding the county in order to pay the 
old C. C. «t B. H. R. R. bonds and thus settle the suit which 
the county had in the U. S. supreme court, but such talk 
came to nothing. Dakota county had relionded, and good 
attorneys thought the wisest course for Dixon county would 
be to do the same. But Dixon county refused then and 
afterwards, and was wise in so doing, as in the next year, 
1884, the U. S. court settled the hash of the $87,()()() fraudu- 
lent C. C. & B. H. bonds and Dixon county had that burden 
lifted from its shoulders forever. 

In February the business of the agricultural society 
came to the surface again, and its olhcers for the ensuing 
year were elected. P. ({. Wright was re-elected president 
and J. W. Radford was elected secretary. From the 
interest which citizens throughout the county took in the 
society it was evident that the second fair would be as well 
patronized as the first. 

In Ponca, VVakeheld and other towns, as well as generally 
all over the county, everything tended to encourage citizens, 
and a healthy advance was made during the year. Crops, 
and especially wheat and oats, were good, as in fact they 
usually were every year. 

The talk about extending the railroad from Ponca began 
to revive again and it appeared there was also a possibility 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. lOJ) 

of a roiid being built from Omaha to this county and here 
crossing the river into Dakota. Both of these projects fell 
through. 

It was and is a fact that at Ponca landing there is a 
better crossing for a railroad bridge over the Missouri, than 
can elsewhere be found on the river within a hundred miles. 
The river at that point has a rock bottom and has never 
since the first settlement of the country, changed its course. 

Instead of extending the railroad west from Ponca, it was 
hnally decided by the company to build a l)ranch into Cedar 
county from Wake held. On that branch work was com- 
menced in July and late in the fall was completed and in 
running order to the new town of Hartington near the 
center of (Jedar county. 

The second Agricultural fair of Dixon county was held 
on the iSth. Ulth and "iOth of September and like the first 
fair had a large attendance of citizens, and a great number 
and variety of exhibits in every department. Those who 
attended realized that one great advantage to be derived 
from a county fair is by seeing what others are doing. Men 
have their specialty. Some succeed in one thing, some in 
another. By coming together from all parts of the county, 
each one bringing with him specimens of his peculiar skill 
and comparing notes, the whole county is benehted. One 
man learns frcmi his neighbor the method of procedure by 
which he attained success in his department, and in turn he 
imparts the secret of his success in another department, so 
the fair is in one sense an agricultural school; the l)est kind 
of a school; one of practical instruction which leads or 
should lead to immediate results in improved farming, im- 
proved stock, improved fruit culture and general elevation 
of agriculture in all departments. 

On Sunday of fair week, a great sensation was occasioned 
by the announcement of County Treasurer Knapp, that dur- 
ing the night before, the treasurer's office had been entered 
and the safe broken open and robbed of between $8,(H)() 
and $4,( )()(). Detectives were at once sent for for the pur- 
pose of unraveling the suspicious mystery which seemed to 
surround the affair, but they were not able to fix the robbery 
upon those whom Mr. Knapp had pointed out as possibly the 
guilty parties. Mr. Knapp had been treasurer two years and 



110 HISTUKY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

had not been renominated at the republican convention held 
a few days before the robbery. While treasurer, Mr. Knapp 
had operated at Ponca an extensive creamery, which it was 
alleged had resulted in a financial loss. These facts together 
with the fact that he had little property when he ))ecaine 
treasurer, occasioned some doubt among many as to the 
reality of the alleged robbery. 

This matter occupied much attention for two or three 
years and finally, on the charge of defrauding the county, 
Knapp was tried in the district court at Dakota City, (to 
which place the trial had been transferred from Dixon 
county) and on such trial he was acquitted. 

The acquittal, however, did not save Knapp's bondsmen 
as treasurer. There were forty of them, each of whom had 
to assist in hlling up the vacum in the county treasury. 
At the time the bondsmen settled the affair with the county 
commissioners, (August, 1884,) Knapp in addition to what 
his bondsmen paid, deeded to the county a tract of 16(1 acres 
in Ponca township, which tract afterwards appropriately be- 
came the county poor farm. Knapp's deficiency was claimed 
to be about |9,()0(l. 

Late in the fall, (1888,) the new court house was com- 
pleted. It had been commenced in the summer and was 
on one of the most desirable locations in Ponca. It was 
built of brick and had a large court room in the second 
story and commodious offices for the various county officials 
beneath. 

At the fall election of 'S8. the question of township 
organization was again voted on and cai-ried. but did not go 
into effect until January. 1886. 

During the years 1883 and 1884 a very large amount of 
building and improvement was seen in the county. The 
county was filling up rapidly and land was in greater de- 
mand and at better prices since the decision in the railroad 
bond case. 

Among the improvements during these years it may be 
mentioned that at New Castle were built a gristmill, a 
church and several dwellings. A great number of farms in 
the county had in 1884, new houses, barns, fences and 
groves. A general awakening seemed to have taken 
place all over the county to the desirability of citizens 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUMTY, NEBRASKA. Ill 

making improvements and additions to their possessions. 
Such improvements were mainly substantial and valuable 
and from them it might be certified that those who made 
them were contented with Dixon county and had concluded 
to stay in it. A few of the many farmers who thus helped 
to swell the list of improvements, were the Ellyson Brothers 
near Ionia, Enders near Ponca, S. Welden, G. D. Russell, A. 
Caifee, Pat Casey, H. H. Jenkins, P. Bennett, John Roden, 
Wm. Porter, V. Wilcox. E. Wilkinson, E. Manley, W. Blake, 
Aaron Smith, S. 1. Hart, etc. In Ponca the value of im- 
provements in 'S8 and '>S4 was about $(50,000. Of the more 
prominent improvemens were the brick M. E. church and 
the brick business houses of Thomas Crew, J. A. Mikesell 
and the Dorsey Brothers. The large flouring mill was also 
enlarged and improved. The largest skating rink in this 
part of the state was built and Gamble's opera house was 
doubled in size and attractions. Near the school house, S. 
P. Mikesell at a cost of $6,000 erected a magnihcent resi- 
dence and Mrs. Addis transformed her place into one of the 
best in town. These are a few of the most expensive build- 
ings erected during the year. There were many others in 
all parts of town, some costly and others cheap, but there 
was not a house or building in town unoccupied. 

Another county seat removal project came up in 1884 
and was voted on at a special election held September 18. 
It resulted in 779 votes for Ponca and (>05 for Martinsburg. 

The hrst lawless act in the history thus far of the Agri- 
cultural society took place at the fair held September 23, 
24 and 25. T. -). Caffee was attacked and stabbed by W. W. 
Westbrook. The trouble grew out of a dispute on the race 
course. Caffee, though badly hurt, recovered and West- 
brook was arrested, tried and sent to the penitentiary. 

In the spring of 1SS5 a proposition to issue $30,000 in 
bonds to pay the debts of the county, was voted down at a 
special election. 

In April, the Logan Valley Agricultural Society was 
organized by citizens of Wakefield and the southern part of 
the county, and it was resolved to have a fair in the fall. 

The month of June of that year, is noted as having had 
the worst wind storm ever experienced in Nebraska within 
the memorv of man. On Sundav, June 14, a hurricane inter- 



11:? HISTUKY OF DIXUK COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

spersed with a myriad of .small but viiidictixe tornadoes, 
swept over the conntj^ like a besom of destruction. At about 
ten o'clook in the evening an immense cloud, extending as 
far as the eye could reach to the north and south, and so low 
down as to nearly touch the ground, was seen approa<diing 
with rapidity from the southwest. The tremendous roaring 
of the wind, the vivid lightning and peals of thunder gave 
warning that an appalling storm was at hand. 

Doors and windows were hardly closed to make everything 
as secure as possible, before the storm burst in unexampled 
force, [n its grasp, as in the hands of an army of giants, 
every house in the county was shaken, some were moved 
from their foundations and others were crushed and scatter- 
ed before the gale. Fortunate houses indeed, were those 
which lost only chimneys or roofs. Barns, sheds and out- 
houses were tossed al)out and in many instances were broken 
up and their fragments swept awa;;'. Fences were overthrown 
and trees were torn up by the roots. But little was seen of 
the storm by the people, beyond their own houses. Without, 
its devastating energy moved forward in its work wrapped 
in nearly impenetrable darkness. Uccasionally a Hash of 
lightning lit up the scene for a moment, and gave a tran- 
sient \'ievv of what was transpiring in the distance. 

The storm raged an hour. Those who had cellars went 
into them for safety, and in a few instances saw their houses 
carried away o\er their heads. Some went out of their 
houses intending to Hnd safer ciuartei's elsewhere. In su(di 
efforts they were beaten to the ground in a moment, oi" blown 
before a wind whiidi the strongest man could not withstand. 

In this terrific shaking up. Ponca fared badly. Its churches 
seemed special objects of fury. The new brick M. F. (diurch 
was crushed into a shajieless mass of lirick. mortar and broken 
timbers. The Baptist and Lutheran churidies were also vis- 
ited, the former lu'ing wrecked and the latter so racdved and 
twisted as to render a new one necessary to be bnilt. On 
Third street. Bauer's iin|»l<'nieiit warehouse, an immensely 
large building which was filled with machinery, was blown 
down and ruined, together with nundi of its contents. 
Stoiigh cV: Mikesell's store, the mill, the store of John Ihivey. 
the railroad dei)ot. (lamble's war(du)use. the livery stables 
and nianv residences lost their roofs; some were removed 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 118 

from their foundations and the new houses of A. Porter and 
P. H. Beller were entirely swept away. Nearly every build- 
ing was more or less damaged, and barns and sheds general- 
ly here and elsewhere were tossed to destruction by the gale. 
A hundred chimneys were overthrown in town, windows 
were blown in, costly fences were torn in pieces and groves 
and gardens were ruined. The wind blew from seventy-five 
to one hundred miles an hour. 

For miles in every direction around Ponca, evidences 
were seen of the destructive march of the storm. The house 
on the Blackard farm, the Green brick house, Shomber's 
house, the houses of Carnell, Smith and Marble, the school 
house in the Roden district and the next one west, W. Matte- 
son's mill near the landing, the Silver Creek school house, 
were total wrecks. Rev. Clark's academy at Silver Ridge 
lost its cupola and chimneys, and near New Castle, Tim 
Rahn's large two story house was scattered with all its con- 
tents. 

At New Castle the Congregational church was turned around 
and near there, in Ionia township, Warner's mill and num- 
erous houses and l)arns were greatly damaged. At Martins- 
Inirg. J. Martin's store was torn down, Shultz and Matteson's 
store and the mill were unroofed, and many buildings in 
(lalena and Springbank were either destroyed or greatly in- 
jured. 

At Wakehehl and Emerson the loss was comparatively 
light, though in the country tributary to those towns, a few 
houses and barns were wiped out of existence. In the storm 
l)ut one loss of life occurred, Henry Erickson, who was killed 
six miles west of Wakefield by the timbers of a falling house. 

Among other damage was that to the agricultural society 
buildings, on the fair grounds. The fences were blown away 
together with nearly everything inside of them, excepting 
the race course and the well. The agricultural hall was 
blown entirely olT the grounds, and its fragments were dis- 
tributed throughout the length and breadth of Hammel's 
corn held on the east. 

The foregoing is but a partial list of the losses in the 
county. Nearly every building, grove and fence was injured, 
some slightly, others irreparably. The total loss in the 
county was estimated to ))e from |85,()()0 to $50,000. As to 



114 HIHTOKV OF DIXUN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

the crops, the damage done to them was not so severe as 
might have been expected. Small grain was but little 
injured, and corn, though badly whipped about, was not so 
hurt that two weeks time would not restore it. Hence, 
after people recovered from the fright and saw that no 
material injury was done to the crojjs they were not dis- 
couraged but went to work to clear away the wreidv and re- 
pair the damage. This was their hrst great storm and their 
hope that it would l)e the last has up to date been realized. 
But the storm induced nearly everyone to build a storm 
cave, to which when the clouds threatened they could retire 
and feel secure. 

The census of the county which was taken in July showed 
a great increase in the number of its inhabitants. It had 
5,590 a gain of about 40 per cent in five years. 

In following the path of events as they occurred, the 
reader is now l)rought to another tragedy, the most horrible 
in the life of Dixon county since the murder of Mr. Dunn in 
1870 by Mat Miller who therefor was promptly hanged by 
the citizens as related in a former chapter. 

James Alexander, one of the pioneers of the county, had 
lived on his farm about six miles west of Ponca many years. 
Robert C. Blair, a young man 26 years old, had been working 
a farm adjoining, and boarded with Alexander. On the even- 
ing of October 22. (1SS5,) Alexander and Blair went to th(^ 
granary to sack wheat and while thei-e Blair shot and kilhMl 
Alexander and then mounting his horse tried to escape out 
of the country. Immediately pursuit was nia^h' and the day 
after the murder Blair was captured. Alexander was un- 
armed at the time he was killed and hence Bhiir's claim that 
he shot him in self defense was exploded. The furthci- fact 
that Alexander had been shot in the l)ack, made i)ro()f con- 
clusive that the murder was cold blooded and deliberate. 

Blair's trial came befoie the district court at Ponca. 
November 5, less than two weeks aftei" the ci-ime was com- 
mitted. After a careful investigation of the facts the jniT 
found Blair guilty of munhM- in the second degree and he 
was sentenced by Judge Crawford to imprisonment for life. 
A week after he was taken to fhe penit(Mitiai'y by Shei-iff 
Pomeroy. 

As tovvnslii[) organization was to go into effect the 



HIISTUKY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBKAiSKA. 115 

next January the county was in the fall divided into town- 
ships and at the election in November a board of fifteen 
supervisors were elected in place of the three commissioners. 
The first meeting of the board under the new order of things 
was held January 12, 1886, and consisted of the following 
members: A. Reynolds, Ponca township; Dr. Hasson, Ponca 
village; G. W. Waitt, Wakefield; P. G. Wright, Galena; C. 
W. Sherman, Daily; J. W. Ellyson, Ionia; Frank Renter, 
Logan; W. Jenkins, Concord; W. H. Pomeroy, Springbank; 
M. L. Rossiter. Emerson; D. F. Curtis, Clark; H. C. Fields, 
Hooker; G. C. Wilson, Silver Creek; H. Sayre, Otter Creek; 
H. Richards. New Castle. 

In the early part of the winter of '85-'86, Sioux City 
parties bought lands of W. H. Porter, F. Conrad, A. 
Reynolds, F. Baker and others, BOO acres in all, along the 
bluffs north of Ponca and near the river. The sudden de- 
mand for land in an unattractive locality, gave plausibility 
to the assertion that it was purchased for a company which 
had in view the building of a railroad and bridge across the 
river. In connection with this purchase, we will add that 
in the following August a Mr. Massey of Rockford, Illinois, 
came and bought another large tract of bluffy land near 
that of the Sioux City parties. He said he wanted it for 
an "Angora goat farm," a business that needed the roughest 
land. It was noticed that the land touched Lime Creek 
ravine where the Nebraska end of the much imagined rail- 
road bridge was to be. For some land which had been 
deemed too worthless to pay the taxes on, Mr. Massey paid 
from fifty to one hundred dollars per acre. 

There is no doubt of the fact that a great project was in 
view, which, had it been carried out, would have brought 
one or more railroads and a bridge into Dakota. But like 
many other schemes in the west it resulted in nothing. The 
only ones who received benefit were those who had unloaded 
their worthless lands on the bluffs. 

In the fall of \8(i, the Dixon e'ounty Agricultural fair had 
some novel features which will ]»e useful as hints to the 
managers of fairs in future. There were special premiums 
by which the handsomest couple who would be married 
in Floral Hall on the third day of the fair, received an 
elegant rocking chair. The most attractive girl, the hand- 



1 



116 H18TUKY Ui^^ DiXUN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

somest woman and the best appearing man, all of Dixon 
county, had an approitriate gift to each. To the prettiest 
baby under twelve months, five dollars in gold. To the man 
witii the longest nose, and he who had the largest feet, were 
also remembered by special premiums. With such a re- 
markable combination of attractions it may safely be said 
that the fair w^as a great success. It was held four days that 
year and had an attendance of between three and four 
thousand. 

On November (ith, the trustees completed by ordinance 
the organization of Ponca into a city of the second class. 

Thus we have briefly touched on the main events which 
transpired up to the close of 188B. At that time the countr\- 
and the towns seemed on the high road to prosperity. 
Dixon county was gradually emerging from obscurity and 
the truth was generally becoming known that in agri- 
cultural w^ealth it was nearly at the top of the column of the 
counties in the state. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 117 



CHAPTEK XH. 

Railroad Rumblings The Building of the Short Line — 

The Extension of the Ponca Branch to New Castle 

— The Burning of the Mill at Ponca — The Failure 

OF THE First National Bank — The Starting of Allen, 

Concord, Waterbury and New Castle. 

The life of a county, like that of an individual, is 

generally made up of a succession of little events, scarcely 

one of which, detached from the others, would be worth 

mentioning. This fact has thus far appeared in this as in 

every other history, and without doul)t will be seen in the 

future. The small incidents separately not of much account, 

which occur in the course of a month or a year, make up 

the great bulk of its history, out of which arises, at rare 

intervals like a solitary rock on the prairie, some conspicious 

event of real importance. 

Looking back from the commencement of 1SS7 we saw 
the growth of business up to that time had been rapid. As a 
sample, take the railroad business at Ponca. The total 
amount of freight received at that station during the year 
ISS;') wasS,USl.()2S pounds; during the year bS8B it was lU,- 
ir)U,4U) pounds. Total amount of freight forwarded during 
the year 1SS5 was 9,708,018 pounds; during the year ISSfi it 
was"ll.750.S51. Total increase of tcmnage 8,225,575. Gross 
earnings of station for 1SS5 was $44.451. IS; for year ISSO 
was $4y,yBS.85, an increase of $5,517.17 in station earnings. 
Such an amount showed that the people of the northern part 
of the county who sent or received it, were not idle. Nearly 
the same amount of business was done at Wakefield, in- 
dicating altogether, as reliably as a barometer of the 
weather, the condition of business in the county. 

In 1SS7, as in 1886, there were innumerable rumors of 
new railroad prospects affecting Dixon county. Parties of 
railroad surveyors would pass through, diligently running 



118 HIHTUUY UF DiXU^,' COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

lines and driving stakes, but answering no questions. Some 
came from tlie southwest and others from Sioux City. The 
Springbank region frequently had hope excited by the sight 
of such surveyors in all the panoply of compasses, levels, 
transits and chains, moving to and fro. Surveyors claiming 
to be from North Platte ran a line along the Otter Creek 
valley and soon after was followed l)y Union Pacific sur- 
veyors over the same ground, and another surveying outHt 
was seen measuring and staking its way along the valley of 
Elk Creek. Surveyors ran a line from Clairmont station in 
Cedar county, down Tarbox Hollow, so called, to the South 
Creek valley and from thence to Martinsburg and Ponca. 
Others came down Daily valley to Martinsburg and from 
there headed towards Sioux City leaving Ponca out in the 
cold. It was contidently asserted by those who claimed to 
know all about it, that the Union Pacific railroad would be 
extended from Norfolk to the Missouri river at Ponca and 
there by a bridge cross into Dakoti. Tt was also said by 
others with equal conhdence that the Union Pacific WH)uld 
not build such a line to Ponca but would branch off through 
Springbank and the Elk Valley to Jackson and from there 
to Covington. In such a multitude of reports, many of them 
conflicting, no one could tell which to believe. The safest 
way was not to believe any, and as matters turned out, such 
a general disbelief would have been the most correct method 
of dealing with the subject. 

At the time of these rumors, a new excitement, not 
quite so important as the railroad stories but more interest- 
ing, was started by a man named Keyser, wdio (daimed he 
had found a diamond. He had in fact found in Lime Kiln 
ravine a transparent stone, weighing about two ounces, but 
whether a genuine diamond or a diamond of the Alaska 
variety, was the question. If it were genuine, it was worth 
enough to build a railro-id and a bridge across the Missouri, 
but if an Alaska diamond, it was not as valuable as an 
equally sized seed potato. Excited by the "diamond" dis- 
covery, several parties went prospecting in the bluffs along the 
river for gold, and an enthusiastic residentof Ionia township 
claimed he had discovered a rich deposit of plumbago. 

These various excitements,— railroad, diamond, gold and 
plumbago,— caused some one on April 1 (All Fools' DayUo get 



H18TOHV OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. HJ) 

Up a burlesque report that tive large companies of railroad 
surveyors were approaching Ponca from as many different 
directions. The story in full, as it was told, although not 
exactly the right thing to put into the pages of a sedate 
history, will still be useful as showing what a healthy and 
vivid western imagination can do, as also the fact that 
people had in those days lots of fun occasionally. Here it 
is: ''A large force of railroad engineers are now beating ap 
the ground in "Tarbox Hollow.' One of the engineers 
was heard to say to another that they 'would in 24 hours be 
where they could get their canteens tilled.' That, consider- 
ing the direction they w'ere moving and the time indicated, 
meant Ponca. Therefore the surveyors will soon be in 
Ponca. 

"Another large crowd of sur\eyors are now advancing 
down South Creek, preceded by a full military band led by a 
drum major in the gorgeous custume of an Abyssinian prince. 
As they march along, the neighl)oring hills resound to the 
music of trumpets and shawms. A long line of w^agons are 
carrying the surveying instruments and camp equipage. 
They will get to Ponca tomorrow. 

"Two full corps of opposing railroad engineers are neck 
and neck running lines down Silver Creek. The needles of 
their compasses point toward Ponca. The chief engineers 
on sorrel hoi'ses ride in front cheering on their men. It is 
impossible to determine which will get there first. 

"A company of forty surveyors approach by the way of 
New Castle. The chief engineer in the costume of a Turkish 
pasha, is leading the procession mounted on a burro and 
followed by a company of bespangled sword swallowers, ball 
tossers, wire dancers, tumblers and contortionists, who in 
their professional capacities entertain the party as it comes 
down the valley. After these comes a large platform or 
float on wheels drawn by a long train of oxen. On the float 
the surveyors are stationed with theodolites and other 
instruments, and determine as they move along, the heighth 
of the hills and all questions of grade, cut, till. etc. 

"A tremendous tiring across the river is said to indicate a 
salute on approach of the surveyors from Elk Point." 

During the year there were feAV matters of any great im- 
portance occuring in the county. Railroad rumors, Lime 



120 H18TUKV OF DIXUIS' COUNTY, NEBRASKA. . 

Kiln ravine bridge matters and other Metions for boom pur- 
poses, furnished something to talk about while the crops 
were growing and the cattle on the thousand green hills and 
valleys were getting fat and ready for market. On the Fourth 
of July the various towns had their celebrations largely 
attended. There was building and imi)rovement as usual 
and an increasing demand and higher prices for farms. The 
county fair in the fall was well attended and a ])ig l)alloon 
and an oration from Hon. J. M. Thurston of Omaha were 
drawing attractions. 

When at the end of the year Christmas and New Year's 
days came with the usual church decorations, gifts and re- 
unions of families and friends, the citizens of the county had 
reason from the experiences of the past to face the future 
with confidence. 

The commencement of the year ISSS was marked by the 
greatest blizzard (January 12) that this country ever saw 
since its settlement by white peo]»le. In this state as well 
as in Iowa. Dakota and Minnesota, the oldest inhabitants 
could remember nothing approaching it in severity. In all. 
about two hundred and fifty persons were frozen to death 
and the loss of stock, especially in the western part of Ne- 
l)raska, was very great. Dixon county came out of the 
ordeal much better than most localities. There was much 
suffering here and some narrow escapes by l)eing caught out 
in the storm but none were frozen to death and the cattle 
were generally well sheltered and in safety. 

During this year, as iu the year before, there was a con- 
tinuous succession of rumors and surmises on future rail- 
road possibilities. In .lune a }>arty of railroad surveyors 
commenced at Randol})h, Cedar county, to run a line east- 
ward towards Sioux City. When on their route the sur- 
veyors came to Dixon county, they ran various lines, so that 
scarely a valley in the central part of the county was not 
decorated with tlie stakes of a preliminary survey. One 
route crossed South Creek valley at Martinsburg and another 
several miles above. The lines came together at Mr. Der- 
rick's place in Otter Creek valley where it was thought would 
be a railroad town. Where Tarbox Hollow opens into South 
Creek valley another town was deemed liable. If the Mar- 
tinsburg route was followed, that village being near the cen- 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 121 

ter of the county, would become a place of importance. The 
tinal result of the various surveys was that the Sioux City 
and Ogden Short Line Railroad v^^as located and built through 
the county. 

In April. ISSI). contracts vs^ere let to build 100 miles of it. 
Work soon after commenced and in the spring of 1S90 the 
track was completed through the county. On this part of 
the route three new towns were started. One of them, Allen, 
was on the farm of Henry Allen in Springbank township, 
about twenty-nine miles from Sioux City and twenty from 
Ponca. 

Another town was on Mr. Herrick's land in Otter Creek 
township and on the eastern side of the county and was given 
the name of Waterbury. The third town located was Con- 
cord near the county's west line. All the three places had 
encouraging growth, and Allen, on account of its central 
location, might, it was claimed, become the county seat of 
the county. 

The county thus, with these three additions, had nine 
thriving young cities, viz: Ponca, Wakefield, Martinsburg. 
Concord, Emerson, New Castle, Allen. Dixon and Water- 
bury, all of which excepting New Castle and Martinsburg 
were railroad towns. 

In May. 1S92, there were rumors that the C, St. P., M. & 
0. K. H. would soon be extended from Ponca to New Castle. 
In the course of a few months it was seen that the rumor 
would be a certainty. In September a committee of New 
Castle business men, the most prominent being Thomas Hoy, 
the leading merchant of that place, went to St. Paul, where 
they met President Hughitt and General Manager Winters 
of the Omaha company. They were given audiences by those 
gentlemen and made a statement of their case. They show- 
ed that the extension they asked would be a cheap one to 
build, and would be certain to secure enough business to be 
profitable. As a result of this interview, the Omaha people 
made a proposition to the New Castle men. They stated 
that if they made the extension they would have to buy 
about sixty-tive acres of land for right-of-way and forty to 
fifty acres more at New Castle for yards, station room, etc. 
They did not place any figures on this property, but told the 
New Castle people to go back home and find out on what 



122 HISTORY OF DiXUN COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

terms it could be secured. After they had done this if they 
would raise the money or secure donations enough to meet 
half the expense of piirchasinjj; it, the road would give serious 
consideration to the proposition for an immediate extension. 
The committee returned home and at once called a meeting 
to discuss ways and means for complying with the demand 
of the road. At su(di meeting subscriptions to the amount 
of $8,000 were secured. This promptness and energy on the 
part of Mr. Hoy and his friends resulted in the decision of 
the railroad company to make the extension. 

In November the contract was signed by the company to 
build its line to New Castle and have it in operation not 
later than Septemi)er. 1S98. 

Aside from these railroad matters which had occupied 
general attention for several years, the progress of the county 
had continued at its usual speed. There had been new en- 
terprises and a long succession of good crops. People were 
in fact, if they Init realized it, on the high road to wealth, 
and all that was required to attain it was industry, enei'gy 
and a determination to avoid del)t. A great number of new 
families had moved in and but few went away, and those 
who went some to California and others to Florida in nijie 
times out of ten returned in a year to Dixon county moi-e 
contented than e\er before. 

Life was not, however, without an occasional drawback. 
Sometimes we had too much rain or too little for the good 
of the crops and at long intervals a prairie tire or a heavy 
wind would do some damage. In the si)i-ing of 'SU ([uite 
extensive prairie hres were in Silver Creek. Ponca. Ionia and 
Daily and occasioned much loss of [)roperty. These hres 
were not as bad as those that occurred a few years before, 
but they were l)ad enough. 

The year ISI))] was in some respects an unfortunate one 
for Ponca. Cp to that time it had grown and prospered, 
and its good fortune for years had been uninterrupted. But 
this year a series of troubk'scame upon it, perhaps none that 
would materially interfere with its future prospects, but 
troubles wliicli were discoui'aging and exasperating. 

First, in February, the Ponca mill with itsadjacent l)uild- 
ings and a great c{uantity of tiour and grain was burned. 
The night of the tire was extremely cold and disagreeable. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 1-38 

and a tierce, catting gale blew t'runi the northwest making 
the work of fighting the flames most difficult. The mill and 
contents, including 4,000 bushels of* wheat and about four 
carloads of flour, together with the elevator containing 
14,000 bushels of wheat, and the dwelling, was a total loss, 
and the flour house was practically destroyed, making a loss 
on the buildings of about $82,000 and on the grain and flour 
of $12,000. The mill and machinery had an insurance of 
$14,700 and the elevator was insured for $1,500, and there 
was some insurance on the grain and flour. 

The mill was built by John Stough, Sr. and 8. P. Mike- 
sell in 1SS2-83, and was operated by the founders until Sep- 
tember 13, 18(SB, when S. K. Bittenbender was taken into 
partnership. The mill was incorporated in LSSGand was con- 
ducted from that time under the corporate name of Ponca 
Mill Co. It was distinguished as being one of the best con- 
structed mills in the west, with every adjunct and improve- 
ment that would facilitate its work and enable the making 
of high grade flour for which it had an enviable reputation. 

The main building, 40x60 feet, had four stories, and was 
built of stone and brick. The floors were of white oak and 
hard maple, and all of the spouting were hard dressed, bead- 
ed and shellaced, thus showing, in part, how well the struc- 
ture was built. The machinery was of the "long system 
style," and, always kept in repair, was by no means inferior 
to any modern mill. Its average yield, as shown by auto- 
matic scales, was forty-two pounds of flour for every bushel 
of cleaned wheat, which fact alone placed it among the best 
mills of the day. In fact it would be folly to try to build a 
better mill or one that would maintain a higher standard of 
effective work. 

The mill usually ground lOII.O:)!) bushels per year and 
found a ready market in Nebraska. Iowa and South Dakota, 
and great quantities of flour were also furnished to the 
United States army as well as to the Indians in Dakota and 
Montana. 

The system of waterworks which had been building in 
town was not yet fully completed and hence on the occasion 
of the fire was nearly useless. 

A second misfortune was the disastrous failure of the 
First National Bank of Ponca on April 27. On that day a 



134 HISTORY OF UiXON C(JUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

notice was po'^ted on the door of the bank stating that "owin^- 
to the recent failures in Sioux City and elsewhere, and being 
called upon for money (hie, the bank is com])elled to close 
temporarily, and that depositors will l)e {)ai(l as soon as mat- 
ters can be adjusted.'' It was hoped l)y depositors that tlie 
suspension was as stated in the notice, only tempoi-ary. Th(' 
sworn statement made out underthe supervision of the bank 
examiner the month before, showed conclusively that depos- 
itors were absolutely safe. Under that statement the re- 
sources of the bank were over $2(>(>.00nand the indel)tedness 
to the dei)()sit()rs about SIOO.OOO. 

l^iit notwithstanding the assei'tioii of tlie entire safety of 
depositors, a thousand rumors wei'e soon in circulation as to 
the cause of the failure and the amount of assets and liabil- 
ities. By some it was said that the bank was and had l)een for 
along time hopelessly rotten, that depositors had l)een hood- 
winked, and that their money had been unscrnpnhmsly used 
in extravagance and recklessness in tivmsactions outsi(k^ the 
legitimate busin;-ss of the bank. 

The man who seemed to have the most to (h> with the 
control and management of the bank u}) to the time of its 
failure was F. M. Dorsey. A few years before, he came to 
Ponca and oi)eiied a private bank in the name of Dorsey 
Brothers, and fi-om that commencement the First National 
Bank was developed and Ex-Congressman (Jeo. \\ . F. Dorsey 
l)ecame president of it. F. M. Dorsey was a man whose ex- 
travagances, enterprises and exptMises recpiii-ed a largo 
amount of money, lie built ou Fast street a i-csid(Mice cost- 
ing several thousand dollars. He had a large stable of fast 
horses, and was the nniin stay of tlie "Diamond Stock Farm."" 
so called. He was also one of the leading managers of the 
"Ponca Driving and Fair Associjition." and in all res])ects 
appeared to be a "high roller" with plenty of money at all 
times and alw'ays i-eady tsx-xpeiidit foi- hisown gratification. 

As i-eceiver of the b-.iiik. Albert W'atkius of liincoln was 
api)ointed soon aftei" the failure an<l imuu'<liately enteretl 
upon the duties of the oflice. 

'riie failui'e of this bank created great distress ann)ng 
many. 'IMu're was a huge nnnil er of depositoi's. some of 
whom had placed in the bank e\('i-\ dollar they had in the 
world. Thev were old men and women and even children. 



HISTUKY OF DIXUJS COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 1.35 

who deposited and lost their little .savings, and starvation or 
the poor house seemed to l)e the oiil.y relief for them. As 
peo])le l)egan to believe that the wreck was caused by cir- 
cumstances not beyond the control of F. M. Dorsey and 
his coterie of sympathetic aiders, public indignatiou grew 
until almost unbearable. 

In October a dividend of 20 per cent, was paid to the de- 
positors. No farther divideuds have been paid up to this 
time, (Decemlier. ISy5) l)ut it is hoped there will be. 

Soon citter this failure Dorsey was indicted in the United 
States Court at Omaha for falsifying the books of the bank 
and other charges, but thus far he has not been tried. A 
favorite method by which to get hold of the money of the bank 
was, as reported by those who claimed to know, the following: 
A man deposits |5(H) in the l)auk. Thereupon Dorsey goes 
to one of the hostlers in his stable or to some other sub- 
servient satellite, and gets him to sign a note for $5<)U. 
This note is then endorsed "Dorsey Brothers,'' and dis- 
counted at the bank. Thus. Dorsey captures the $5(K) and 
the bank has the note. Then the bank sends the note to an 
eastern l)ank and it is re-discounted, and then the First 
National gets its $5(1(1 again. Then if Dorsey desires more 
money he can make another note and have it signed by 
some willing tool, and he is enabled to get hold of the |5()U 
again. And so on ad infinitum. It was a great scheme and 
as long as eastern banks would re-discount western paper, 
w^as better than a hrst class gold mine. 

What will ever be done with Dorsey, no one can tell. 
Had hel)een merely gnilty of petit larceny, or if hunger had 
di-iven him to steal a loaf of bread, he would have been 
punished long ago. But in this country the maxim seems 
to l)e, "the greater the crime the greater the safety of the 
criminal.*'' Dorsey did not stay in Ponca long after the 
failure but went to Sioux City wdiere. amid society more 
congenial to him, he has since remained. 

The hard times and the failure of the First National 
Bank brought about the downfall of the Ponca Driving and 
Fair Association. The track, a mile around it and the best 
in this part of the state, had been perfected by great labor 
and expense. A large number of costly buildings, amphi- 



12G HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

theater, stables, sheds, fences, etc., had also been built and 
it seemed a pity that all should come to nothing. 

Another misfortune of the year was the burning in 
December of the Aoway Valley Creamery at Ponca. The 
building was a good one and had the latest and best ma- 
chinery and improvements, and was doing an extensive 
business and giving employment to a large number of men 
during a part of each year. 

The railroad was duly extended to New Castle in 1S*):J. 
That ambitious and deserving young city is situated in the 
Aoway valley. The founder of the town Wiis Gustavus 
Smith (or more properly, Schmidt) since deceased, who 
many years ago laid out the place and gave it its name. 

In 1871 a few houses, mostly log, were all there was to 
New Castle. The ''hrst store" was built l)y Mr. Smith in 
1871 and was stocked by S. Reineman of Covington and 
managed by his brother, Albert. The venture was unsuc- 
cessful and the proprietors were numerous for the next ten 
years, of whom were Mr. Smith. S. B. Hughes and then Thos. 
Hoy. Mr. Hoy burned out. rebuilt, and sold a half interest 
to John Coleman. The firm of Hoy & Coleman did a tine 
business for a number of years. l)ut dissolved about a year 
before, Mr. Hoy taking the stock, which he still owns and 
manages, and Mr. Coleman going into general hardware 
trade. The country around New Castle is among the most 
productive in the state and is settled by progressive and in- 
dustrious farmers. 

In the winter before the railroad was extended and be- 
fore the "boom" struck New Castle, that town had not over 
ten or fifteen buildings all told, among which were two 
churches, Catholic and Congregational, and a school house. 
But during that winter, in anticipation of the expected road 
the place commenced to grow and soon in the course of 
erection was a bank to l)e managed by W. P. Logan, of 
Ponca; a mill by Jas. B. Connery and Jas. McClrath with a 
capacity of fifty barrels per day; another hotel by W. H. 
Hopkins; two lumber yards; two livery barns; a saloon; a 
meat market, and last but not least a newspaper. 

In January after the road was completed New Castle was 
a brisk and well built railroad town. Its growth since a 
year before had been constant and healthy and it now con- 



HiHTOHY OF UIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 12^ 

tallied three large general stores, two drug stores, a grist 
mill, two hotels, a good newspaper, numerous shops, offices 
and dwelling houses. 

Notwithstanding all the buft'etting of ill fortune during 
LS98, Ponca at the end of that year and during 1S94 had 
every appearance of being still in the ring and all right. 

On September lo, lsy4, the pioneers and old settlers of 
the county held their first picnic. Tt was in Hurley's grove 
near Martinsburg and attended by about 8,000 people. At 
that time there was a permanent organization of the "Old 
Settlers and Pioneers' Society" of Dixon County. A consti- 
tution was adopted and the following officers were elected: 
C. P. Putnam, president; N. S. Porter, vice-president; George 
Herrick, treasurer, and C. W. Schram, secretary. 

The second annual picnic of the association was held at 
the same place, September 5, 1895, and the attendance was 
larger than the year liefore. The officers elected for the en- 
suing year were: President, David Murphy, of South Creek; 
vice-president, George Mattison, Ponca township; treasurer, 
Geo. Herrick, Otter Creek; secretary, C. W. Schram, Silver 
Creek. On both these occasions orations, music and elegant 
picnic dinners made an enjoyable bill of fare. It is to be 
hoped these reunions, thus auspiciously commenced, will 
alwavs be continued. 



138 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



CHAPTER Xlir. 

Assessments, Population, Improved Land, Fruit and Forest 
Trees, Marriages, Births and Deaths, from Organiza- 
tion OF THE County to the Present Time — Lists of 
County Officers, Clerks, Treasurers, Commissioners 
AND Supervisors, Probate and County Judges, 
Sheriffs and Superintendents of Public Instruction, 
County Attorneys, Clerks of Court and Surveyors, 
from the First Until Now. 

Dixon County, which commenced with nothing except 
brains and energ.v, has now mnch to show. The hrst settlers 
found when they came in the spring of iSoO, a wild, un- 
broken and unimproved country peopled only by Indians. 
The whites who came were poor, having in a great majority 
of instances scarcely any money and a very meager supply 
of goods or other property. 

Had an assessment been made in the summer of iSoC) of 
the taxable property in the country which afterward l)eca:nie 
Dixon County, the value would of course have been ex- 
pressed by a cypher. Starting thus at zero in IST)!) lot us 
see how the county has developed sin ce tluMi. 

First, as to i)0])ulation: 

On j\lay 1, iSoC). nobody; January 1. \>^-u. estimated at 
from 150 to 'JOO; January 1, ISoS. according to old esttlers 
there were from 800 to 400 people here. Then hard times 
came on and for a few years the })()pulation decreased some- 
what. 

In bS()(l tlici'c were only -JIO rc^sidents in the coiintx and 
there was little increase until after the year of the great 
drouth, 1S(U, then it comni^Miced gaining rapidly, and in 
1870 was \Mh. 

During the next five years tlic popniation inoi-c than 
doulded, l)eing in 1875, 2,SS(>. 

In 1S7S there were '\S)\'2 ami in ISSO. 4.177. and ten 



Hi«TOKY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBHA8KA. 129 

years later the population had almost doubled, the number 
in 1890 being S,0S4. 

Carefully figuring the same rate of increase the citizens 
of Dixon county numbered not less than 12.000 on January 
1, 1S9(>. 

Taking into consideration the numerous vicissitudes and 
drawbacks, the drouth, grasshoppers and failures of crops 
during several years, and the consequent discouragement 
and moving away of many of the people, the progress as to 
population, has l)een l)eyond the average of the counties of 
the state. 

Next, as to improved land, groves and orchards: 

Starting at zero in ISoC), we find that half way on the 
journey from that date to the present time there were IS,- 
500 acres of land under cultivation, 12,700 acres fenced, 
n.OOO fruit trees and about 1,250,000 forest trees had been 
planted, of which 1.000.000 were cottonwoods. and the re- 
mainder were soft maples, walnuts and box elders. This was 
a good showing for the first nineteen years, but the next 
nineteen years show a much greater advance. 

In 1884 the acres of improved laud were 186,066 

The iinniber of fruit trees 286, 600 

Grape vines 99, 250 

Forest trees 5,500,000 

It appears from the above that during the fii'st nineteen 
years, there was an average of nearly one thousand acres 
improved every year. In contrast with this during the next 
nineteen years, the average number of acres of land im- 
proved per year was over six thousand. 

A much more wonderful rate of increase may be seen 
by comparing the fruit and forest trees planted during the 
two periods. During the first nineteen years, (),000 fruit 
trees and 1.250,0!)!) forest trees did not evince a very 
energetic desire to have orchards and sheltering groves, and 
the showing is insignificant when compared with what was 
done in the next nineteen years. 

During the latter period, instead of a trifle over 800 fruit 
trees per year, the average planted annually w^as 14,7(>S, and 
the forest trees came up to the enormous average of 228. ()00 
per year. 

In 1S*)5 the amount of land under cultivation was. for 



im HiSTOKV OF DiXOK COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

wheat 2(),45S acres; corn (n,8()7 acres; oats 17,4()2; barley 45(k 
tlax 1,50(1; potatoes 801); su^ar beets 50, and millet 5(55 acres. 
During this year 46,465 fruit trees were planted, 1,756,280 
forest trees and 15,865 grape vines. 

In may seem almost impossible that these figures are 
true, but they are obtained from records and reports in 
the county clerk's office and may therefore be depended 
upon as relial)le. 

The assessed valuation of property; 

The first assessment was made in 1859, and as we are told 
by the assessor there being no record on the subject extant, 
the valuation was about $4,800. 

From 185S) to 1864, five years, — there is nothing written 
or verbal to give any certain information as to what the 
valuations were. Old residents tell us that assessments 
were made and that during at least two of the five years, 
the valuations were even less than they were in 1S51). The 
hardness of the times had driven away many, and money 
was scarce and improvements few. The first assessment 
after 1S51). of which we can Hnd authentic information, was 
that of 1S64. 

This was the most disastrous year of all, yet the assessed 
valuation loomed up in great proportions, viz: .|44,S54. 
This enormous increase of valuation after all the previous 
poverty stricken years, was of course not occasioned by any 
increased provsperity on tlu^ part of the actual settlei's. But 
great ({uantities of land had been bought from the go\ern- 
nient by non-resident speculators, and it was mainly this 
land, and probably at as large a price as the assessor's con- 
science would permit, which swelled the valuation to such 
large' figures. In that year the number of acres assessed 
was 15,281), and it is safe to say that not a tenth of it was 
owned by actual residents of the county. 

In 1865 the valuation was $4S.868. Not a very wonder- 
ful advance over that of the ])revious year, but at the time 
the assessment was made in the spring, settlers had f)ai-ely 
emerged from the terrible fifteen months of drouth, whiidi 
came near wrecking the county and driving everybody out 
of it, and of course during the time that lasted, dragging 
down the values of lands and im[)ro\ cments to their low- 
est eb)>. 



HliSTOKV OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. ]-M 

The next assessment, spring of 1S0() — everything l)()oni- 
ing again—the valnation rose to $64,204. From this time 
forward there was a very rapid increase. The following are 
the Hgures: 

1867 $ 71,894 00 

1868 100,890 00 

1869 ]o0,845 00 

(The rapid increase of the valuation will l)e noticed from 
1867 to ISBS. There was a gain of about |29,()()0, and from 
1S6S to 1869 a gain of |5(),0()0.) 

1870 $328,746 00 

1871 308,600 00 

1873 460,870 00 

1873 610.854 00 

1874 717,630 00 

From 1S7I to 1S74. inclusive, the yearly increase of valu- 
ation was from |1()(),()()0 to $15(),()(l(). People were evidently 
enjoying most prosperous years. 

In 1875, however, things went the other way for a time. 
The grasshoppers had come in the summer of 1874, and had 
made a clean sweep of every growing thing. People were 
discouraged again, — many sold out at half price and moved 
away, and the value of property fell. Hence, in 1875 the 
assessed valuation tumbled from $717,620, as it was the year 
before, down to $587,881, being a shrinkage of $180,289. 

However, in 1876, the scare was mainly over, — property 
went up in value again, and the assessed valuation jumped 
up to $780,515, being about $18,000 above what it had been 
in 1874. 

In 1877 the valuation was $990,268, showing the enor- 
mous increase of $259,758 over that of the previous year. The 
next two years the valuation went down again. The figures 
are as follows: 

1878 I 888,935 00 

1879 783,388 00 

1880 894,347 00 

1881 938, 31S 00 

1883 9(i3,016 00 

1888 1.168,581 00 

1884 1,383.035 00 

1885 1,519,638 00 

1886 1.598.107 00 

1887 1,545,739 00 

1888 1,539, 1()8 00 

1889 1,504.736 00 

1890 1,451,985 00 

1891 1.520,864 00 

1893 1,616,531 00 

1893 1,617,334 00 

1894 1,()44,S04 00 

1895 1,567,493 00 



132 HIiSTUKV OF DiXUN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

For the past eight years the valuation has increased but 
little. This was not occasioned by the county standing still 
in its efforts for wealth. The actual increase in value has 
been as great as during the most prosperous years of the 
county, but the rates of assessment were greatly reduced, 
and the assessed valuation was kept in the neighliorhood of 
|1.50().()0(). each year. 

In considering the progress of the county, it will be well 
to consider the number of marriages and births and deaths. 

The records of the marriages in the county, after its 
organization, are not complete during the first one or two 
years. According to the books in the county judge's office 
the first couple married in the county was S. B. Stougli and 
Helena Ernst on May 15, 1S(H. That they were not the first 
is shown by the memory of old residents who claim that 
from thirty to forty had been married previous to that time, 
the record of which has been lost. 

From the records in existence it appears that nine hun- 
dred and seventy-ti\e marriages have taken place in the 
county since May 15. ISBI. if thirty-hve couples h;id been 
married before that date, Dixon county has had one thous- 
and and tifty-three marriages since its first settlement up to 
the present time. In the past few years the number of mar- 
riages per year has greatly increased. In lSy2 there were 
sixty-one, in ISIK-) seventy-nine, in 1S94 forty-eight. 

As to births and deaths there are no records from which 
to obtain information From the l^est evidence that can be 
had it is presumed that there have been not less than two 
thousand, eight hundred births in the county since its organ- 
ization and nineteen hundred deaths, the births being much 
greater in iiiiniber than the deaths. The difference being 
eight hundred and fifty, it is plain that so far as health and 
longevity are concei-ned, this country is fully ecpuil to Min- 
nesota, where the annual death rate is al)out nine oiif of 
every thousand. 

Dixon county officei-s fi'oni tlie fii'sf election in 1S5S to 
the present f ime. 

COUNTY CLERKS. 

Edward Arnold, fi'om hi-st ehM'tion held in December, 
185S, to October, 1S51). 

Edward Serrv. from ()ctol>er. ls:)*l. to October. 18(58. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. i;W 

E. M. Bisbee, from October, bS()8, to ()ctol)er, bS()5, when 
he resigned, and Edward Serry was elected from October, 
lS6(i. to October, bSIJS. 

0. W. Todd, from October, bS()S, for one year. 

W. D. Long, elected in October, 1861), and continned to 
September (>, 1S7(>, when he resigned and T. J. Welty was 
appointed to hll the vacancy. 

E. M. Bisbee from October U), ]S7(), to October "in. ls71. 

T. J. Welty, from October 26, 1S71, through '72, '73 '74, '75. 

E. M. Bisbee, in 1S76. '77. '7S. 71), 'SO. 'SI. 'S2, 'S8. 'S4 and 
'85. 

J. W. Radford, *S6, "S7. *SS and 'SD. 

T. .]. Shieldey, 'DO. "1)1. '92, '1)8, '1)4 and '1)5, and was suc- 
ceeded on January 1, 181)6, by J. C. Ekeroth. 

COUNTY TREASURERS. 

John Malone was elected in December, 1S58. He was the 
first treasurer of the county. Held the office until October 
11. 1851), and was re-elected for two years and until October, 
1861. 

Oustavus Smith, October, 1861, to October, 1863. 

[jeander Davis from October, 1863, to spring of 1865, when 
he resigned and moved to Sioux City and W. P. Heydon was 
appointed to till the vacancy. 

In the fall of 1865, A. Davis w^as elected and was treasurer 
during 1S()6, '67. '68. '61). '70. '71, '72, '73. '74. '75, ten years, 
and was followed l)y Dennis Hurley from January, 1876. to 
January, 18S2. six years. He was succeeded by K.H. Knapp. 
who held the office until 1884. 

0. T. Barto was treasurer from Januarv, 1881. to Januarv, 
isss. 

M. li. Rossiter from January, iSSS. to January, 181)2. 

H. H. Pomeroy from January, 181)2, to January 1. ISDC). 
Avlien he was succeeded by J. D. Stough. 

(JOMMISSIONERS AND SUPERVISORS. 

At the first election held in 1858, John Cavanagh, H. A. 
Fuller and J. Massinger were elected commissioners until the 
next general election in October. 1851). 

October 11, 1851), were elected W. W. Benedict. J. H. S. 
Grove and M. Gorman. 

In June, 1860. the commissioners were M. Gorman, Mau- 
rice Scollard and H. ^I. I'ierco. 



134 HISTORY OF DiXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Ill 18G1 and until June, 1S()2, M. Scollard, S. P. Baltzley 
and H. M. Pierce. 

From June, 1S62, to October of the same year, William 
Gillan, M. Scollard and S. P. Baltzley. 

October, 1S(V2, M. Scollard, S. P. Baltzley and John Cava- 
nagh. 

October, ISO;-}, M. Scollard, James Alexander and A. Kniss. 

October, 1S(U. William (lillan, (i. Smith and John Cava- 
nagh. 

October, 18(55, O. Smith, John Stough and John Brookey. 

October, 1S()(), John Stough, M. Gorman and John Sader. 

October, lS(i7, the same. 

October, 1S(5S. the same. 

October. lS(i9, John Stough, M. Gorman and Otis Dygart. 

October, ISTU, M. Gorman, Otis Dygart and N. S. Porter. 

October, 1S71. Otis Dygart, N. S. Porter and I. N. Moore. 

October, 1S72. Porter, Moore and 0. P. Sullenberger. 

October, 1S7:5. 1. N. Moore, 0. V. Sullenberger and W. H. 
Clark. 

Previous to this time the coininissioners comnieiiced iu 
October, as soon as the vote was canvassed. Afterwards they 
took the office on the 1st day of January. 

January, 1H74, Moore, Sullenberger and (Jlark. April 17. 
1874, Moore resigned and C. M. Crowell was appointed. 

January. 1875. O. P. Sullenberger. W. H. Clark and J. 
Martin. 

January, 187(). \V. H. Clark, J. Martin and I'll i lip Dough- 
erty. 

January. 1877. J. Mai'tin, P. Doughei'ty and John Mc- 
Kinley. 

January, 1878. P. (i. Wright, John McKinley and C. W. 
Sherman. 

January. 1871). W. W. Atkinson. P. (i. Wright and John 
McKinley. 

January. 18S(). P. (!. Wright, W. W. Atkinson and A. 
Drager. 

January. iSSj. W. W. Atkinson. August Drager and H. H. 
Pomeroy. 

January, 1882, the same. 

January. 188:}. W. W.Atkinson. H. 11. i^imeroyand Anton 
Kngle. 



HiiSTORY OF DIXON OO LUSTY, NEBRASKA. 135 

January, 1884, Anton Engle, VV. W. Atkinson and Seth 
Hamlin. 

January, 1885, N. S. Porter, Seth Hamlin and J. W. Elly- 
son. 

(In 1886 the supervisor system came into effect.) 

SUPERVISORS. 

188() — P. (i. Wriglit, chairman, (lalena; A. Reynolds. 
Ponca township; D. W. Hasson, Ponca village; G.W, Waitt. 
Wakefield; C. W. Sherman, Daily; J. W. EUyson, Ionia; 
Frank Renter, Logan; W. Jenkins, Concord; W.H.Pomeroy, 
Springbank; M. L. Rossiter, Emerson; D. F. Curtis, Clark; 
H. C. Fields, Hooker; CI. C. Wilson, Silver Creek; H. Sayre, 
Otter Creek; and H. Richards, New Castle. 

1887- -W. H. Pomeroy, chairman, Springbank: 1). 
F. Curtis, Clark; J. F. Cibbs, Ionia; T. A. Brennan. 
Hooker; G. B. Francis, Ponca City; C. 0. Acres. 
Concord; John McClough, New Castle; Frank Renter. 
Logan; W. A. Neeley. Wakefield; M. L. Rossiter, Em- 
erson; M. B. DeWitt. Ponca township; C. W. Sher- 
man, Daily; L. Harper, Otter Creek; P. Dempsey, Silver 
Creek; Lyman Wright. Galena. 

188S~-W. H. Pomeroy, chairman. Springbank; Frank 
Reuter, Logan; 0. 0. Acres, Concord; J. Sullivan, Clark; C. 
W. Sherman, Daily; T. H, Brennan, Hooker; W. A. Neeley, 
Wakefield; D. Hurley, Galena; J. F. Gibbs, Ionia; H. Rich- 
ards. New Castle; James Monier, Emerson; L. P. Harper. 
Otter Creek; M. B. DeWitt. Ponca township; A. Drager. 
Ponca City; P. A. l)emi)sey. Silver Creek. 

18Si) (i. 0. Acres, chairman. Concord; A. Drager, Ponca 
City; M. B. DeWitt, Ponca township; W. A. Matteson, Galena; 
Nels Johnson. Hooker; H. Richards, New Castle; J. H. 
Addison. Daily; J. H. Cole. Otter Creek; A. W. Rose. Ionia; 
C. Mitchell, Clark; J. F. Pomeroy, Springbank; P. A. 
Dempsey, Silver Creek; James Monier. Emerson; Philo 
(i rases. Wakefield; and William Johnson. Logan. 

1890 J. F. Pomeroy. Spring! )ank. chairman; A. Drager. 
Ponca City; M. B. DeWitt, Ponca township; A. H. Ellyson, 
Ionia; J. H. Addison, Daily; M. A. Vaughn, Galena; R. A. 
Poole, Emerson; J. W. Hypse. Logan; A. S. Palmer. New 
Castle; Nels Jolmson; Hooker; J. H. Cole, Otter Creek; C. 



180 HISTORY OF DiXUN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Mitchell, Clark; ?. A. Dempsey, Silver Creek; Philo Graves, 
Wakefield; and C 0. Acres, Concord. 

1891 — J. F. Pomeroy, chairman, Springbank; A. Drager, 
Ponca City; A. Davis, Ponca township; J. H. Addison, Daily; 
A. S. Palmer, New Castle; Philo Craves, Wakefield; A. H. 
Ellyson, Ionia; M. C. Vaughn, Galena; P. A. Dempsey, Silver 
Creek; H. D. Hall, Concord; S. Roberts, Otter Creek; J. Sulli- 
van, Clark; J. W. Hypse, Logan; 11. A. Poole. Emerson; A. 
G, Gran, Hooker. 

1892 — J. F. Pomeroy, chairman, Springbank;-!. 1). Stough, 
Ponca City, A. Davis, Ponca township; Wm. Svveene.v. Emer- 
son; F. C. Spannuth, Logan; Mathew Conway, Daily; W. -I. 
White, Galena; Thomas Hoy. New Castle; 'J. B. Pettit, bmia; 
A. N. Gran, Hooker; H. I). Hall, Concord, J. Sullivan, Clark; 
S. Roberts, Otter Creek; Philo (Jraves. Wakefield; P. A. 
Dempsey, Silver Creek. 

1898 -J. D. Stough, Ponca City, Chairman; A Davis, Ponca 
township; F. Renter, Logan; Wm. Thompson, Concord; J. 
Sullivan, Clark; A. N. Gran, Hooker; I. N. Belknap, Wake- 
field; W. N. White, Galena; C. W. Schram. Silver Creek; H. 
J. Stinger, Otter Creek; Wm. Sweeney, Emerson; .1. F. 
Pomeroy, Springbank; M. Conway Daily; T. Hoy. New 
Castle; and J. A. Pettit, Ionia. 

1894 J. D. Stough, Ponca City, chairnran; Daniel ('row- 
ley. Galena; James Tobin, New Castle; Fi-ank A. Hypse, 
Logan; M. Conway. Daily; W. A. Morgan. S])ringbank; Wm. 
Sweeney, Emerson; T. .). Ryan. Ionia; Wm. Thompson. (*on- 
cord; J. Sullivan. Clark; A. N. Gran. Hooker; I. N. Belknap. 
Wakefield; C. W. Schram, Silver Creek; A. Davis. Ponca 
township; H. .). Stinger, Otter Creek. 

1895— To October 18 of that year. J. D. Stough. Ponca 
City, chairman; Daniel (*rowley. Galena; -lames 'I'ohin. New 
Castle; Frank A. Hypse, liOgan; M. Conway, Daily; W. A. 
Morgan, Spi'ingbank; Wm. Sweeney. I^merson; T. J. Ryan. 
Ionia; Wm. Thompson. Concord; Perry I )cni[)st(M-. Clark; 
A. N. Gran, Hooker; C. T. Barto, Wakelield; C. W. Schram. 
Silver Creek ; \L H. DeWitt. Ponca township; and H. J. Stinger. 
Otter C!reek. 

On OctolxM- is. lS9r). iin<l('r ihc new law relating to sn|)(M'- 
visions and townshiit oi'ganization. the nunilxu' of supervis- 
ors was reduced to seven. 'I'hese wei'e chosen bv lot from 



HIHTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. i;57 

the old board. The supervisors thus chosen were J. D. 
Stough, representing District No. 1, comprising Ponca Cit}^; 
T. J. Ryan, District No. 2, Ponca Township, Ionia and New 
Castle; C. W. Schram, District No. 8, Silver Creek, Daily and 
Hooker; Perry Dempster, District No. 4, Clark, Concord and 
Logan; C. T. Barto. District No. 5, Wakefield; W. A.Morgan, 
District No. 6, Springbank and Galena, and Wm. Sweeney, 
District No. 7, Emerson and Otter Creek. These held their 
offices until January 1, 1896, and were then succeeded by E. 
J. Berry. District No. 1; A. S. Palmer. District No. 2; C. W. 
Schiam, District No. 3; C. Wi^choff. District No. 4; C. T. 
Barto, District No. 5; W. A. Morgan, District No. 6, and A, 
Isenberg, District No. 7. 

SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS. 

W.P. Heydon, 1S()S and 1869. 

I. N. Powell, 70 to September 6, when J. K. Addis was 
appoined to till the vacancy to the next October election. 

S. P. Mikesellin 1871. 

W. S. Bates, during 1872. 7o, 74 and 75. 

J. H. Addison, in "7() 77. 

A. S. Palmer, 78, 79, "8(1. 

(I. W. Walbeck, '81, 82, '83. "84 and "85. 

Dayton Ward, '8(), '87, '88, '89. 

Miss Mary Schroer, '90, '91, '92, '93, "94, and '95, her term 
ending January 1, 1896, and was succeeded l)y Miss Sadie E. 
Pott". 

PROBATE AND COUNTY ,IUDGES. 

The first judge was J. B. Denton, who was elected at the 
hrst election held in the county in December, 1858. 

October, 1859, Leander Davis was elected for two years. 

October. 18(U, N. S. Porter was elected for two years. He 
served one year and resigned and E. Serry was appointed to 
fill the vacancy. 

October. I8r)3. W. P. Heydon, two years. 

()ctol)er. 1865, Edward Serry. two years. He served one 
year and resigned and on October, 1866, W. P. Heydon was 
elected to till the vacancy. 

October, 18(7. L. T. Hill, two years. 

October, ISIU), Edward Serry, two years. 

October. 1871. .1. W. Porter, who held the office during 
1872, '73, '74 and '75. 



ISS HISTORY UF D1X(JN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Edward Arnold, 1S7() and 77. 
R. H. Knapp, 1S7.S and '79. 
W. C. Smith. ISSO, '81, '82, '83, '84 and '85. 
0. E. Martin, I88r,. '87. '88 and W. 
A.Reynolds, 181)(i. "in. '92 and '93. 

A. W. Rose, 1894 and '95, and was re-elected for the term 
commencinf? Jannary 1, '96. 

SHERIFFS. 

The first sheriff elected in the county was (.'. F. Piituam. 
He was elected in De<-ember, 1858, and held the office until 
October, 1859, when R. H. Wilbur was elected for two years. 
Mr. Wilbur only retained the office until the next spring, 
and Richard Higgin was appointed to fifl the vacancy, and 
held the office in 18f)l. J. Clark. James Barrett and C. F. 
Putnam, each held the office a part of the time in 18()2. 
Putnam held the office from October, 18(r2. to October. 1S(;:5. 

A. Kniss. from Octoljer, 1863, to October, 18(U. 

C. F. Putnam, from October, 18(U. to Octo))er, ls(')5. He 
held the office either as principal or deputy most of tlic time 
since the county was organized. 

William Higley. from October. l8r)5. to ()ctol)cr. I'^^u. 

M. 13. DeWitt! from October. 18(7. through '(',8. *r,9. ^n. 
'71, '72, '73. 

B. H. Beller. 1874 and 1875. 
M. B. He Witt, ls7(*) und ls77. 

E. H. Jones, 187^. Is79. ISSO. Is8l. ]ss2 and |s^:}. 
John F. Pomeroy, 1884 and 1885. 
\fark P>rown, 188(), 1S87. 1888 and iss'.). 
J. Boeckenhauer, 1890 and 1891. 

P. McOabe, 1892, 1893, 1894 and 1895. until January I. 
1890. and w^as then followed by H. H. llai-t. 

SURVEYORS. 

S. H. Coats. 1S72. '73. "74 and '75. 
J.G. Miller. I87r). "77. 
0. P. SuUenberger, I87s an<l '79. 
G. 0. Lampher. 1880. 'M . 

C. T. Granger. 1882 and 's:',. 

G. 0. Lampher, 1884. 'S5. 'si; and 's7. 
J. W.Jones, 1888. 
.1. i.eonanl. 1SS9. 



HISTORY OF DIXON (X)UNTY. NEBRASKA. i;5i> 

M. F. Richards, 1890 and '91. 

S. B. Stough, 1892, '98, '94 and to the end of '95. 

COUNTY ATTORNEYS. 

W. V. Norris was elected for two years, commencing 
January 1. 1888. He resigned at the end of a year and J. J. 
McAllister was appointed to fill the vacancy. 

A. E. Barnes, 1889 and '90. 

J. J. McCarthy, 1891, '92, '98, '94. '95 and '96. 

(KLERKS OF THE DISTRICT COURT. 

James E. Moore, 1892, '93. 

J. D. Harris, 1894 and '95 and was succeeded by W. W. 
Cooper on January 1, '96. 



140 HlSTOiiY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 



CHAPTEK XIV. 

Members of the Legislature Sent From Dixon County — 
District Judges J. B. Barnes and W. F. Norris- 
Schools and Scholars The First Deed Recorded in 
the County (Irist Mills and Saw Mills and Other 
Manufactories. 

Those who were sent l)y Dixon county to the legishiture 
were generally men of the recjuisite energy and al)ility to 
till the important positions of law makers. Before Ne- 
braska became a state this county was represented in the 
territorial legislature by three of its citizens, viz: D. T. 
Bramble, in ISoS; N. S. Porter, in 1S(U. and R. H. Wil])ur. in 
ISI),"). All these gentlemen did well for their constituents, 
so well, indeed, that Messrs. Porter and Wilbur were sent 
there again after stateship was adopted, and Mr. Bramlile 
for his efficient efforts in the organization of the county 
would undoubtedly have been again elected if he had re- 
mained here. He removed to Yankton, where he died a 
few years ago. 

Aftei" Nebraska became a state. ^Ir. I'orter was elected 
state senatoi- in iSI^Kind again in 1S()S. and Mi-. \\ ijbui' was 
a representative in is;;!;. Olivt'r Baltzley was the represent- 
ative in 1S()S, and was followed by Mr. Will)ur in 1S72. As 
to politics. Porter and Baltzley were republicans and \\ illmi- 
a democrat. 

[n the fall of iSTi;. J. P. Walters, democrat, was elected 
representative for two yeai's. at the end of which time he 
was succeeded l>\ W. H. N'andcrbilt. republican of Silver 
Creek. 

In 1S7S (). 1*. Sullcnitergei'. democrat, was elected to the 
senate. He then and since has resided in Ponca. Previously 
he li\(Hl ill Ionia and in coiiipauy with Messi's. Newton and 
Landon had a large mill tliei'c. .\s senator, as well as in the 
office of countv commissioner, Mr. SiiUenberiJfer gave i^-ood 



HISTORY OF DIXON CHJLINTY. NEBRASKA. 141 

satisfaction. He was one of the eonimissioners at the time 
the narrow ^'auge railroad was born. 

A. S. Palmer, republican, was elected to the house in 
18S0 and re-elected in 1SS2. He was, and is a farmer re- 
siding a few miles from New Castle, -well educated, able 
and popular. — and frequently served the county in various 
responsible offices. 

W. F. Norris, repul)lican. became senator in ISS'2. He 
had been educated at West Point Military Academy and 
afterwards served in the army seveial years and until he 
resigned and came to Ponca to engage in the practice of 
law. 

In 18S4, G. \V. Waitt, republican, was elected representa- 
tive. Mr. Waitt was a prominent business man of Wake- 
held. 

He was suceeded in ISSB. l)y P. (I. Wright, democrat, a 
resident of Galena township. Mr. Wright had formerly been 
a member of the legislatare of Iowa, and his experience there 
as well as his sound judgment and earnest efforts enabled 
him to pass through tlie legislative ordeal with credit. Mr. 
Wright was several times an efficient connty commissioner 
and supervisor. He died at his home near Martinsburg. June 
oO, isyi. He had been a resident of Dixon county about 
fourteen years. He was a just and honorable man and had 
many friends. 

In ISSS. A. 1). Whitford of Springbank. republican, w^as 
the representative. Mr. Whitford was a prosperous farmer 
of Springbank wdiere he had lived since 1S71. He was 
followed by P. F. Rohan, elected in ISIJO. Mr. Rohan was a 
member of the party now known as the "populist." He was 
a farmer living a few miles from New Castle and has resided 
there many years. 

In 1S9(), H. P. Shumway. repuldican. one of the most 
pi'oininent and i»opular members of that party in the dis- 
trict, was elected to the senate. Mr. Shumway resides in 
Wakefield where he is conspicuous by his energy and suc- 
cess in business and by his popularity in social life. 

In 1892, E. E. Ellis, republican, of Springbank township, 
was elected representative. He settled in Springbank in 1S69 
and now has a tine farm of 2S() acres three miles from Allen. 
He w^as an efficient member of the house. 



14-2 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Ill l.sy4, (leorge Matteson, a prominent repnl)lic-an citizen 
of Ponca township, became representative. Mr. Matteson is 
a farmer and is an active antl successful business man. As 
a legislator he gave entire satisfaction. 

Tlie office of district judge has been successively tilled 
by two citizens of Dixon county: 

John B. Barnes, a native of Ohio and a soldier in an Ohio 
regiment during the war, located in Ponca and was admitted 
to the bar in IST^I In IS?."), he was elected district attorney 
and served as such until the spring of bS79, when he was 
api)ointed district judge by (iov. Nance to hll the vacancy 
occasioned by the resignation of Judge Valentine, and in the 
fall of that year he was elected to that office by a large ma- 
jority. Judge Barnes now resides at Norfolk. He was an 
able judge and is a successful lawyer having a large practice. 

W. F. Norris, who, as previously mentioned, was a state 
senator for this county one term and afterwards county at- 
torney, was in 1SS7 elected district judge and in 1S91 was re- 
elected to the same office, his second term expiring January 
1, 1S*)(). Judge Norris during his eight years on the bench 
gained the respect and esteem of the district and eai'ned tbe 
reputation of being an honorable and upright judge. 

Both Judge Bai-nes and Judge Norris are republicans 
and were elected by that party. Politics, however, so far as 
judges are concerned, is beginning to be regarded l)y the 
people of advanced thought as of little inii^ortance. if a 
man has the reciuisite al)ility and honesty and is clear headed 
and impartial, the ipiestiou whether he believes in a high 
tariff or low, or is a silver 1() to 1 advocate or a gold bug, 
cuts no hgure, ncu- does it matter whether he is lal)elled as 
democrat, republican or i)opulist. 

After having thus In-ietly alluded to those who ha\e I.een 
furnished liy Dixon county to hll legislative and judicial 
oHices, the next impoi'tant matter to notice ai'e the schools, 
without due insti-uction in which, legislative and judicial 
honors would he few indeed. 

As to the schools in Dixon county in an early day, there 
is on that subject as on many othei-s pertaining to county 
affairs, a most discoui-a-ging lack of int'oi'mation. That thei"e 
were schools during the lirst few ycai's of the county, there 



HIWTOUV OF DIXUN CUUIVTY. MEBKASKA. 14:^ 

can be no doubt, uiul good ones too, judging from the intel- 
ligence of those whose youth was spent here. 

In 18B9 there were ten school districts and two hundred 
and twenty-nine children of school age in the county. In 
1S7() there were twelve school districts and three hundred 
and thirty-four scholars; in 1S71. seventeen districts and hve 
hundred and sixty-five scholars, and in 1S72, twenty-one 
districts and seven hundred and six scholars. This rapid 
increase it is needless to follow. Suffice it to say that 
schools and scholars were growing in numbers in proportion 
to the growth of everything else in the county. As a mat- 
ter of course, at such a rate of speed, such numbers have 
now swelled into cfuite gigantic proportions. 

At this time, (fall of 1S95), instead of ten school districts 
and two hundred and twenty-nine scholars as in KSiiU, Dixon 
county has seventy-eight school districts, ninety-three 
schools, about one hundred teachers and three thousand, 
four hundred and sixty-four scholars. 

Such are the hgures furnished by Miss Schroer the 
accomplished superintendent of public instru<'tion. 

Every summer since 1S7S a teachers' institute has been 
held, during which the services of some of the best and 
most advanced instructors in the state are obtained, and 
those designing to teach in the county are required by the 
superintendent to attend. At the institute held this year 
(ISI);")) one hundred and nine teachers were in attendance. 

With such earnest efforts to have competent teachers, it 
is needless to say that Dixon county has good schools and as 
a consequence good scholars. 

What a wonderful contrast there is between the schools 
of the present west and their improved methods of instruc- 
tion, and the old fashioned "deestricf schools of New York 
and New England, thirty-hve years ago. 

A few "odds and ends" entirely disconnected and not ap- 
propriately htting into any other chapter we will insert 
here, as some or all of them may be of interest. 

The first deed made and recorded in Dixon county after 
its organization in 1S5S. was from ^Vm. Bigley to Mnrtha 
(iorman. The deed was dated December 21. 1S59. (a short 
time after the hrst election of countv officers) and was re- 



144 HliSTOKY OF DiXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

corded February 22, 1S5U. The amount of land conveyed 
was 120 acres. 

Dixon county's lar^e tracts of timber along the Missouri 
and the generally great and certain crops of wheat and corn, 
brought about the establishing, from hrst to last, of numer- 
ous grist and saw mills. 

Whitcomb's saw mill on the river bottom near Ponca 
was the pioneer and was followed by the grist mill of 
Stough Brothers at Ponca and the mill of L. T. Hill at Ionia, 
all of which liav(» Ix^en i)reviously described. 

Among the saw mills in the timber along the Missouri 
was that of Joseph Stobaugh near Ionia in '()S. and that of 
Elias Warner in '(U) which latter has continued to this time. 
A saw mill on the Aoway. about two miles below Ponca, 
was built 1)y Jonathan Martin in 1S7(). 

Ueorge Matteson. from 1S74 to a few years ago, was en- 
gaged extensively in that business. His mill was in the tim- 
ber near the river, and between Ponca and Ionia. 

All the a])ove mills were run by steam power excepting 
Stough Brothers' mill at Ponca and Martin's mill two miles 
])elow. The mill at i^onca, when the countrx' ])ecame older 
and the increase of busin(>ss demanded it. developed into 
the extensive roller mills l)uilt by Stough and Mikesell and 
afterwards owned by the Ponca Mill Company. Steam and 
water were both used as motive powers. The mill was burned 
in the winter of 1S98 and has not been rebuilt. 

Afterwards a large steam tiouring mill was l)uilt in Ponca 
by the Messrs. t'rew which in January, isy5, burned. 

At Wakeheld is the well known tiouring mill of J. 0. 
Milligan. It does an imnu'use business and is under excel- 
lent management. There is also a large mill at Kmerson 
and another at Dixon. 'VUv mill at Martinsburg and the 
new mill at New Castle are Hrst-class in machinei-> and have 
a large patronage. 

in connectiou witli mills for making Innilx'r and Houi- 
other manufacturing establishments may be hei-e ai»i>ropi-i- 
ately mentioned. 

In Ionia, T. J. Kyaii has a steam syrup factory titted uj* 
with the l)est machinery and latest ini])r<)vements. in which 
he made about live thousand gallons of sorghum syinip in 
'114 and and the same in '*.)5. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 145 

At Dixon a xery large creamery has l)een in successful 
operation for a year past, and at Waterhury another was 
completed in the summer of '95. There are also several 
smaller establishments of the same kind in various parts of 
the county and doing good business. All such institutions 
are generally made profitable to the owners and they are 
certainly a help to the county at large. 

The immense water powers along South Creek, Aoway 
and Logan, are capable of turning man>- more wheels than 
they now do, and it is to be hoped the time is not distant 
when the water of those rapid streams, now in a 
great measure going to waste, will be utilized. 

in addition to excellent schools the county has many 
churches and benevolent societies. The rude school and 
church buildings of the pioneers, as good as they could have 
at that time, have given place to structures wherein refine- 
ment and good taste are conspicuous. All the various edu- 
cational, moral and intellectual efforts in the county have 
been added to and improved from year to year, and now it is 
hardly possible to tind a better condition of society than 
Dixon county is favored with. 

As the pioneers and old settlers look back to the hard- 
ships they passed through in early days, they see the marked 
contrast between what life was then and what it is now. 
And while amid their former hard but adventurous frontier 
life they probably enjoyed as much real happiness as at the 
present time, they realize that in material comforts and ed- 
ucational and social advantages the present is superior to 
the past. 

This county, since its organization, suffered from a 
grasshopper raid in 1S74 and a severe drouth in 18(54, and 
another and milder drouth in 1894, thirty years after. This 
is a good showing; three bad years out of the thirty-nine 
years of the county. Such drawbacks occurring only at long 
intervals, are no excuse for despair. There is no country 
which has less failures of crops and the great majority have 
more. 



Hi 



14H HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



CHAPTER XV. 

l^ONCA City Its Past and Present. 

Ill the preceding pages, the gradual growth of Ponca from 
a houseless town site to a brisk business town is seen. As 
previously stated, the location is most favorable for a large 
place, being at the junction of the valleys of South Creek and 
Aoway, and surrounded by a rich agricultural country. 

The proprietors of Ponca were not only wise in making- 
its location near the timber and at the continence to two 
such fertile valleys as Aoway and South Creek, thereby to a 
great extent commanding the trade of l)oth and of their 
tributaries, but they showed good judgment in the selection 
of a place where is a w^atei' power which surpasses any on this 
side of the Missouri within a hundred miles. With these 
natural advantages, a prosperous future was reasonably 
expected. 

Its growth was slow for many years. Its platof ;^2() acres 
looked forlorn in its solitude, and though big in its frame- 
work was most lean and lank in its tilling. It did indeed 
move ahead slow. So slow that for several years it required 
a marvellous imagination to see that it moved at all. In 
IS7;l seventeen years after it first saw light. Ponca had a 
population of possibly 200. At that length of time ago, a 
Sabbath day quiet brooded over the town, which was then a 
mere hamlet compared with what it now is. Then, what 
little there was of it, was c[uickly seen. As you crossed the 
l)ridge, coming from Sioux City, you saw Mr. Bigley's hot-el, 
(the Valley House.) and Stough & Brothers' grist mill, and as 
you passed on you came successively to F. (lould's grocery, 
the county clerk's office, the stores of S. Gamble and Stough 
& Mikesell. the which, together with two or three shops,, 
comprised the business part of the place. Its dwelling houses 
were few, and all its business establishments from its stores 
down to its blacksmith shop could be counted on the fingers 
of the tw^o hands. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 147 

From 1S78 to 1S7() the town improved a little faster than 
before. Another blacksmith shop was started. Somebody 
also bnilt a barn. A lean-to was added to the town grocery. 
One man bnilt a new fence and painted his house. Another 
proposed, in the bright near future, to build a hog house. 
Thus enjoying present prosperity and anticipations of the 
future, Ponca drifted along the stream of time. 

When the narrow gauge railroad arrived, the town moved 
a little faster than before, though not as rapidl}^ as it would 
with a more desirable road. When that road, after a few 
years, fell into the hands of a rich and energetic company and 
was built over and given standard gauge, new iron and better 
cars. Ponca really had for the first time, the prosperity which a 
good road brings. Its growth, hitherto slow, rapidly increas- 
ed, and new enterprises and new arrivals of people became 
frequent. 

From year to year its energy and good fortune continued. 
Old business houses and residences surrendered their loca- 
tions to those which were more commodious and elegant. 
The spacious brick store which Stough & Mikesell built in 
1S77. established the popularity of brick for buildings and 
such within a few years took the place of many of the hum- 
ble business structures of earlier days. 

Now. the four corners at the intersection of East and 
Third streets, are adorned by large blocks, fully equal to 
what are usual in very much larger towns. Prom that inter- 
section west along Third street, and south on East street, 
business buildings thus elegantly constructed, are with few 
exceptions general. 

The first brick store built by Stough & Mikesell, has 
doubled its former size. From there along the north side of 
Third street, is almost a continuous line of elegant busi- 
ness houses to Ionia street where S. P. Mikesell's 
palatial establishment is located. The same splendid array 
of buildings is seen on much of the opposite side of Third 
street and on East street. This part of town where the 
Stoughs. Mikesell, Davey and Gamble do business, is nearly 
every day a crowded scene of activity. 

At the foot of East street stood the great mill built by 
Stough and Mikesell, and which was burned nearly three 
years ago. It was an imposing structure, and added greatly 



14« H1«TUKY OF DIXOM CUUMTY, ISIEBRA8KA. 

to the business and business look of the place. With so tine 
a waterpower it i*-: likely that another mill will, ere long, 
be built there. 

Outside the business part of town many fine residences 
claim attention, (lood taste has generally prevailed in build- 
ing them and in the arrangements around them. Twenty- 
five years ago the entire town could not boast of more than 
a score of trees; now it has at least ten thousand. They fill 
most of the lots which are occupied and beautify the sides of 
nearly every street. These, with the shrulibery, vines, gar- 
dens and flower ])eds. and the neatness displayed in all. 
have made Fonca homelike and enjoyable. Pictures of a 
few of such fine residences are seen in this book and eacdi 
tells a story of refinement. 

The same good taste is displayed in the building and 
adornment of the churches, in the school houses and grounds 
around them, in the grading of the streets, in the building 
and repair of sidewalks :ind crossings, and in the clean and 
orderly methods by which the whole are supervised. All 
this has l)een the gradual outcome of a slow gi-owth of twenty- 
five yeai's. The other fine towns of the county will in a 
short time enjoy the same attractive adornments, indeed, 
with the energy and ambition of the residents, the question 
of trees, vines, fiowers and shrubbery is only one of the time 
required foi- their gi-owth. 

Let us l)rieHy glance over the ])usiness men in Ponca. If 
will be seen that they cannot ))e counted on the fingers as in 
1S7:1 

The general stores are those of Stough Brf)s., S. P. Mike- 
sell, J. M. Davey, M. F. (lamble and Drager Bros. 

Of these, the Stough Bros.. Mikesell and Davey have been 
in business many years. Stough and Mikesell commenced 
as partners in iSlil) in the store onTliii-d street now occupied 
by Eames & Searing, and removed in 1S77 to their brick store 
then recently finished. They dissolved in ISStt, Mr. Stough 
retaining the location and soon after Mr. Mikesell built the 
fine place he has since occupied. Mr. Davey has been in the 
mercantile business twenty years, and has a large establish- 
ment on East street. Mr. Uamble came here in 1872 and was 
clerk for S. (lamble and Stough A: Mikesell until January, 
1881, and has since lieen in business for himself. He has a 




LUTHEKAIS' CHURCH. PUNCA. 




DR. S. B. STOUGHS RESIDENCE. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. lol 

commodious vstore on East street. Draper Bros, occupy the 
store on the southwest corner of East and Third streets. 

Eames & Searing, R. P. Armstrong, A. 0. Bladen, I. Con- 
ner and A. W. Beeson have well stocked stores for groceries, 
notions, etc. Eames & Searing commenced in 1>S9(), and now 
do a large business. Mr, Bladen opened his store in April, 
lsy5, and Mr. Beeson in February, 1894. Mr. Armstrong 
came to Dixon county in the fall of 1870 and located on a 
homestead in Clark township, and several years later remov- 
ed to Ponca, and in September, 1S83, opened his present store. 
Charles Schroer commenced with a bakery in 1885, and in 
connection has now a restaurant and a good business and 
location. 

Ponca's has three good hotels, viz: The Valley House, 
the "Hotel Rakow" and the Merchants. The Valley House 
is the oldest hotel in town. It was bought of Leander Davis 
many years ago by Wm. Bigley and kept until his death in 
1878, and since by his widow Mrs. Bigley. Mr. and Mrs. 
Bigley were among the early settlers and their hotel was a 
prominent and popular stopping place. The "Hotel Rakow" 
is a large and elegant brick building on Third street, bought 
by A. F. Rakow in April, 1895, of J. F. Smith. The Mer- 
chants Hotel was built nineteen years ago and is now owaied 
by Geo. Bolton, formerly of Daily Branch. There was a 
fourth hotel, the Central House, a commodious and popular 
estal)lishment. built by S. Gamble in 1877. It was burned 
in January, 1895, and Mr. Rakow, the proprietor, afterwards 
purchased the "Hotel Rakow" as above stated. 

Among its prosperous institutions, Ponca has three drug 
stores, two millinery establishments, two hardware stores, a 
furniture store, a harness shop, two markets, etc. 

The oldest drug store in town is that of T. R. Orr. It was 
started in 187() by L. Kryger and afterwards sold to M. 0. Ay- 
ers, and by him in 1878, disposed to Mr. Orr who came from 
Chicago a short time before. With the exception of about 
two years, he has continued the business ever since. His 
partner is F, G, Hebron who came here in 1884. Another 
drug store is that of J. D. Forbes who bought it in the spring 
of 1898 and has since continued it. Another popular drug- 
gist is W. M. Mahoney who purchased in October, 1898, the 



152 HISTORY OF DIXUN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

druij store of N. Hanini. I'liese three establishments are 
hirge and well managed. 

The oldest millinery store is that of Mrs. M. B. Higgins 
who commenced about nineteen years ago, and another store 
of the kind has been kept by Miss Rogers several years. 

As to the hardware stores, that of Wm. Auge is the oldest 
in town. Mr. Ange came to Dixon county in November, 
18fi7, and located on a farm in Silver Creek. From there he 
moved to Ponca eighteen years ago, and engaged in the hard- 
ware l)nsiness with James Hobl)s. Seven years afterwards 
Mr. Hobbs retired, and Mr. Auge, (with an in- 
terval of one year.) continued the business from 
that time to this with great success. Mr. Auge is 
president of the Security Bank of Ponca and is a prosperous 
and reliable citizen. Mr. Hobbs came to Ponca about twen- 
ty-four years ago and was in the hardware business most of 
the time until he sold out to Mr. Ange. He went to (lilroy. 
Oal.. since then, and is engaged in fruit raising. 
The other hardware store in Ponca, is that of L. Baltzly who 
has had it several years. 

The furniture store is that of J. A. Mohr who commenced 
that business in the spring of ISSC) with James Hol)bs, and 
since 18S7 has continued it alone and with a prosperous trade. 
Ponca's harness establishment is owned by E. J. Berry, 
who, with his father, cam? here from Illinois in March, 
1873, and commenced that business in 18S2. For that pur- 
pose he had a tine building on East street, which in January, 
'1)5 was burned with most of its contents. He has since re- 
built. Mr. Berry was mayor in ISSS and has served as 
councilman several terms. He is now the supervis(n- of the 
first district of the county. 

The oldest market in town is owned by leister A: Logan 
who have been together in business since 1887. J. H. Logan 
came here in 1878 from Dakota county, and has l)een en- 
gaged in buying grain much of the tinu\ He was appointed 
postmaster by President Harrison and gave entii-e satis- 
faction during his term of four ycnirs. His partner VVm. 
Lister came from Illinois in May. 1875, and has been in the 
market Inisiness nn)st of the time since 1879. Has been 
mayor of the city two terms and is a reliable and much 
esteemed citizen. Speaking of the may(n'ality we will state 




WM. HUSE. 



i 


iBF" fm' i'Wii^ 




\ 


H^iSir 






^1 ""^ fli 


p 


^ w w 




Nk 




p^^^^ 


' 



MRS. WM. HUSE. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 15:5 

that his next door iieighlx)!- in business. Mr. Searing, of tlie 
tirm of Eames & Searing, also was one of Ponca's most 
popular and efficient mayors, his term ending in May, 1895. 

The most prominent dealer in farm machinery is August 
Bauer who came to Ponca in ISSl and commenced business 
the same year. He has two large buildings on Third street 
(115 by 25 feet and 7(1 by 28 feet,) both of which are occupied 
by an extensive stock. Has been councilman of the Third 
ward for two years, and is a good business man. 

Wm. (Iroth, commenced in 1888 in the business of making 
cigars and has been prosperous and successful. His Iniilding 
is on F]ast street. 

Ponca's jeweler is E. W. (Iray, who Hrst came here in 
1883. was absent from '84 to '1)1. since when he has had a 
successful business in his line. 

The two barbershops are those of A. M. Coats, com- 
menced in 1888, and G. P. Kaulfman in 1892. Both are 
good citizens and shave with keen razors. Mr. Coats does 
business in a large brick l)uilding which he built on Third 
street a few years ago. 

Ponca had three l)anks. the First National, Dixon 
County and Security, up to 1898 when the First National 
bank went up the spout to the distress of depositors and the 
disgrace of its managers. The Bank of DixoiV county was 
started in 1881 and the Security bank in 1890. 

One of Ponca's prominent young men is T. A. Berry who 
came here in 189(1 and has since been manager of the Ed- 
wards and Bradford Lumber Company at this place, and in 
the large business he transacts has become very popular. 

H. C. Howe, who came here in 1881, and M. 1. Mellon 
in 1885, the former the cashier of the Dixon county bank 
and the latter tilling a similar position in the Security bank. 
are among Ponca's progressive young men of business. 

(1. C. Hamilton, the photographer, located here in 1888 
and has since remained. A number of his excellent pictures 
are seen in this history. 

The lumber dealers are Edwards ct Bradford and Francis 
& Son. An advertisement for Edwards A: Bradford is on 
one of the last pages of this 1)ook. 

The music store is kept by E. H. Dierenfield and was 
started by him two or three years ago. 



I 



154 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

The livery stables are those of H. C. Fields and C. E. 
Paiill, who have been thus engaged several years. 

The principal flour and feed store is that of Wm, Sheffel 
who came here with his father, Emanuel Sheffel, from Ger- 
many in 1S()S. His l)rother, Peter Sheffel, came in IS(U, 
The Sheft'els have most of the time since then l)een in the 
mill business, and from 1S77 to 18S2 were the owners with 
Julius Drager of the mill built by Stough Brothers in ISBO. 

Ponca has three newspapers. The oldest is the Northern 
Nebraska Journal which was started January, 1S78, by Wm. 
Huse and has since been continued by him. a part of the 
time in partnership with his son, W. N. Huse, now of the 
Norfolk Daily News. The present owners of the Journal 
are Wm. Huse and his son, E. W. Huse. The Journal was 
the first paper ever published in the county and for several 
years was the only one. In 1S77 the Ponca Courier was 
commenced l)y Smith Brothers and afterwards passed 
through the hands of various proprietors, until it was re- 
moved to Wayne soon after that town was born. Since 
then there have been several papers published in Ponca, 
some of which have had encouraging success. Those in 
town now, aside fr;)m the Journal, are the Gazette and 
iieader. 

There are many otlier branches of business carried on in 
Ponca, aside from those above named. Gustav Franz has a 
shoe shop. There are also several blacksmith and wagon 
shops, a tailor shop, and the billiard halls of Trimborn tV 
Higgins and McManus & Keefe. 

H. E. Smith has for several years had a prosperous busi- 
ness in l)uying and shii)])ing butter and eggs. M. M. Myres, 
Daniel Donlin, Michael I)(nilin, F. Conrad and C. H. Marble 
do the draying and do it well. 

Near the south end of Eist street is the store of John 
Green who came a few years ago from the Black Hills where 
he was extensively engaged in mining. His father was on(^ 
of Dixon county's pioneers. 

On East street also, P. E. Rush has a notion store. Mr. 
Rush is a very skillful brick-layer as many of Ponca's fine 
buildings illustrate. 

Speaking of brick, the lirick yards of the Nelsons and 




J. J. MCCARTHY'S RESIDENCE. 



, 1 








!#..* 










1^ 


H^^^^^^^K 


-^T* 


^ ^^- -^ 





DR. J. W. PORTER 

( See page 189. ) 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 157 

tliat of (leu. Harrison a short distance nortli of town, 
manufacture all that are needed. 

Ponca's postmaster is li. R. MacMullen, who was ap- 
pointed by President Cleveland about a year ago. Major 
MacMullen is an old army officer with an honorable record 
and is an excellent postmaster. Among the postmasters in 
the past have been N. S. Porter. E. D. Higgins, A Reynolds, 
Harry Dorsey, W. T. Chapman, 1. Conner, J. H. Logan and 
after him the present incumbent. The office has in the past 
twenty years increased largely in business and is now a 
presidential office. 

This being a county seat, it is the natural home of 
attorneys. Among the first were Barnes Brothers and W. 
E. (lantt. who did a leading business for several years. The 
present attorneys are J. J. McCarthy, A. E. Barnes, J. M. 
Hench, A. (1. Kingsbury, C. A. Kingsbury, J. V. Pearson and 
T. -1 . Welty. 

Concerning J. J. McCarthy a more extended notice is 
given elsewhere. A. E. Barnes came here in 1S77 from Ohio; 
studied law in the office of his brother Judge Barnes and was 
afterwards one of the firm. He is now one of the most 
prominent and successful lawyers in this part of the state. 
J. M. Hench. a well-read and able lawyer, came to Allen 
fi'om the east in 1S98 and from there to Ponca in 1S94. since 
when he has l)een in the office with Mr. Barnes and has had a 
tirst-class practice. A. CI. Kingsbury has been in practice since 
1S77 except one year while at Ann Arbor law school, where 
he graduated in 1S1)5. C. A. Kingsbury studied law with A. 
Gr. Kingsbury and was admitted a few years ago. T. 
J. Welty, also became an attorney several years ago, and 
has recently opened an office. John V. Pearson, who 
graduated at the Ann Arlior law school a year ago, was 
in the office of J. J. McCarthy until August, lsy5. wdien he 
became one of the teachers of the Ponca high school. 

The most prominent of those in the insurance business in 
Ponca are C. J. Story, R. R. MacMullen and W. W. Cooper. 

Here are the names of a few of the old settlers, most of 
whom are not elsewhere mentioned. Nearly all were identi- 
fied with Ponca village, though a few resided in Ponca town- 
ship: 

Joseph Walters, elected by accident to legislature in '76. 



ir„s HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

C. W. Todd, machinist and builder, '5S to '90. Helen M. 
Todd, sister, of some literary ability and teacher in music, 
now in Vermont; C. W. is in Wyoming. James Rucker, 
father-in-law to John Enders, came here in '(w, now^ in 
Washington. C. M. Drake, 70 to 74, had a collegiate 
course and given much to music, natural philosophy and 
evolution, is now in California and is devoting his time to 
study. Dr. J. K. Addis, 'B9 to death in 74. John Lawrence, 
'Oy, now in Wayne county. Oliver Baltzley, member of 
legislature 'GS, carpenter and builder, now in southern part 
of Nebraska. Kreiger, druggist. Avery Barber and family, 
'67, died in '92. LaFoUette. M. Wigton. W. B. Douthit. 
Mr. Fero, first harness shop, '70, returned to New York in 
'74; his son John now here. C. W. Smith, '69, resides here 
now. W. C. Smith, former county judge. Wesley Mattison, 
came in '65, died in '93, wagon maker and mechanic. J. W. 
Jones, real estate agent, '79, now in Missouri. Frederic Hig- 
gins and family, '70, died in '88. Geo. Russel, from Inde- 
pendence, Iowa, '70, died in '94. J. McQuaid, '70, died in '91. 
William McDonald. '70, died in '77. B. 0. Smith, '68. died in 
'87. James Smith, his son, now resides in Dakota county. 
Geo. Conrad, '67, died in '98; his wife still living. Charles 
B. Conrad, '67, moved to Iowa in '94. Wm. Henchbarger, 
'64 to '89. A. G. Wheeler, '68, went to Australia in '95. 
Joseph Porter, '67. died February, '6S; wife, Martha, died in 
'70. W. Freeburn, '69. moved to Washington Territory in 
'77. Rev. Walter Clark, '71. J. Peters, 71 to '92. Lorenzo 
Smith, '67 to present time. James Hammell, mason and 
bricklayer, '60. J. Perrigone and J. Brewer, philosophers 
and explorers. Dr. Hughes and family, '75 to '77. Ed. 
Healy. lawyer. A. A. Porter, furniture store and bulkier, 
'68 to '95. 

In addition to the above, some of those doing business 
here during a part or alb the time since 1870, but now dead, 
moved away or gone into other, business, were; J. P. 
Hingtgen, merchant; F. M. Hewett, bricklayer; F. Pletsch 
and J. Volkmar, l)0()ts and shoes; Mr. Gallagher, tailor; J. U. 
LaFollette, wagon maker; C. W. Bates, G. D. Russell, F. N. 
Johnson and W. Hunter, blacksmiths; J. Krause and Chas. 
Metz, harness makers; Dean Palen. John Lawrence, A. A. 
Thompson and Mr. Green, livery; H. Ernst and A. and F. A. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. IM 

Poi'ter, furniture; S. (lamble, Fred (loukl, C. S. Ford and 
J. A. Mikesell merchants; T. C. West. Rose & Potter and 
Dr. Wyckoft', druggists; A. H. Gould, hardware; E. and E, 
Harding, B. W. Powers, E. D. Higgins. 0. M. Ohilds, Miss 
West, groceries and restaurants; Stough Bros. & Welty, 
bankers; 0. P. Sullenberger, Central House; J. F. Myers, 
Valley House; Jones & Moore, W. P. Heydon, J. Leach, D. 
Hurley and J. W. Radford, farm machinery; 0. L, Parke, 
musical instruments; Mrs. Addis and Miss Feauto, millinery; 
Leach & Drew\ wheat buyers; the Herley Bros., lime burn- 
ers; (luy R. Wilbur and W. E. Butler, lawyers; Dr. Rowe, 
physician; etc., etc. 

We have been able to obtain brief histories of a few of 
the pioneers who Hrst settled in Ponca and vicinity and also 
of some of the later generation. 

Among them was Wm. Bigley Jr., who lived in Ponca and 
vicinity twenty-one years and died here, March 27. 1S7.S. 
He was liorn in County Westmeath. Ireland, and came to 
Philadelphia. Pa., when he was nine years old and remained 
there until he came to this county. He and his brother, 
James Bigley, (an account of whose murder at Sioux City 
has been given in a preceding chapter) were men of activity 
and push, and greatly helped the growth of the town and 
county. At his death Wm. Bigley left a wife and three 
children, and James Bigley a wife. 

Another early settler was Edward Serry. He came from 
Iowa in lS5(i and first located on a claim (near John Roden's 
place) five miles from Ponca. He was the hrst clerk of the 
Squatters Club and court, which ruled this part of the 
country for several years. One of his duties under 
squatter rule was to allot half a section of land to every 
new settler. This held good only until the land was sur- 
veyed and brought into market in IS57. Mr. Serry was 
county clerk several terms and in that office became very 
popular. He died about twenty-five years ago leaving a 
wife and several children, the oldest of whom, John Serry, 
now lives in Vermillion, S. I). 

H. A. Fuller and Frank West have been briefly men- 
tioned in a previous chapter. Fuller went away in '6L 

The Stough Brothers, viz: John Stough, Dr. S. B. 



160 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Stoiii^h and Jacob Stouoh came here, the tirst two in '')() aiuf 



•f-^' 



John Stough was horn in Westmorland county, Penn., 
September 12, 1S2S. He was raised on a farm, and in 1S52 
moved to Ohio. In '54 and '55 he taught school in Tusca- 
roras county, that state. In 185B came to Ponca wdiere he 
has nearly all the time since been one of the most promin- 
ent of the business men in farming, merchandise, milling, 
building and various other useful enterprises, among which, 
during a few years past he has had a large interest in an ex- 
tensive cold storage establishment in Sioux City. As a mat- 
ter of course, good management has given success and he 
is now considered one of the wealthiest citizens of the county. 
Mr. Stough was married in 1S(V2 to Elisabeth Ernst. Have 
had seven children, three of whom are now living. In 
county and city affairs, Mr. Stough has been safe and reliable 
in the matters intrusted to his care. He was one of the 
county commissioners for five years, (1SB5 to and including 
ISHi)), and was mayor of Ponca for two years. 

S. B. Stough, born Septeml)er 18, lS2(i, and like his 
brothers, was raised on a farm. He came to Nebraska in 
1850, a few months before his brother John. Like him he 
has been engaged in various pursuits and with profitable 
results. Across the Missouri in Dakota he had for several 
years a large mill which did an extensive business. He was 
also connected with a bank at Elk Point and until a year 
ago was president of the Security bank at Ponca. In com- 
pany with John and Jacob Stough, he has been in the 
mercantile and milling business in Ponca. All these with 
farming, ])uilding. and his duties as surveyor for the county 
most of the time, have given him active life. Dr. Stough 
was married in ISIU to Helena Ernst. They have had five 
children, four of whom are living. They live in a tine 
house on Third street, a picture of which is given herein. 

Jacob Stough, born in 1S82, came here in 1S57 and has 
been indentihed with his brothers in business most of the 
time since. Like them he is wealthy and is one of the heavy 
stockholders of the Security bank. He was married to Anna 
Shett'el, and has two children. 

J. D. Stough and Wm. Stough, the sons of John Stough, 
ablv inana^'e the lai-ge store of Sfough Brothers. J. D. 




JUli^' STOUGH. 

( See page i6o. ) 




MRS. JOHN STOUGH. 

(See page i6o. ) 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 16o 

Stoiigh has a fine business education and is very popular in 
the county. For two years he has been chairman of the 
board of supervisors, and was this fall, lsy5, elected county 
treasurer. 

fludu^e Edward Arnold was born near Cork, Ireland, May 
1, 1S22. Came to New York in 1S45, and soon after moved 
to Massachusetts, where for several years he was engaged in 
cotton manufacturing. Came to Ponca in spring of 1(S57. 
At the time he came, Ponca was a part of Dakota 
county, and he was elected in the fall of '57, superintendent 
of public instruction for that county. Was first clerk of 
Dixon county after its organization in ISoS. In '(V2, enlisted 
ill Company I, First Nebraska Cavalry, and served twelve 
months. In '7(> and '77, was the first judge under the new 
constitution. Was a man of tine education and ability, and 
was prominent in county and town affairs. Had a large 
farm where he resided many years and up to the time of 
his death, al)out a mile west of Ponca. He died in 1S9;^, 
greatly respected and regretted by the citizens of the 
county. He left a wife and two sons. 

Francis Freeman, came to Ponca in '57. and lived there to 
the time of his death. May 5, 1S86. Age. I'S years. He was a 
worthy and honest citizen with many friends. Two of his 
daughters now live in the residence he built on Front street. 

Wm. Long, formerly a soldier, came to Ponca about lS(i5 
and l)e('ame clerk for Wm. and James Bigley in their hotel 
and store. He was a good penman and was well acquainted 
with western business, and was a clear headed and influential 
helper in building up the place. He moved away in 1.S70 and 
now lives in the southern part of the state. 

Another of the first settlers of Ponca and Dixon county 
was E. M. Bisbee. He was born at Westfield. Chautauqua 
C()unty, New York, and lived there and at Jamestown, N. Y., 
until in company with N. S. Porter and C. W. Todd, he came 
to Ponca, arriving in 1.S5S. where he resided most of the time 
until his death. March 27. isy8, aged about (H years. When 
he first came here he found few white people and towns, and 
generally an uncultived country. It was the home of Indians 
and buffaloes and remote from eastern civilization and society. 
For a number of years he was a farmer and also worked at 
his trade of millright. He gradually saw the country around 



166 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

him settle up and improve, saw the Indian and hniTah> dis- 
appear, farms opened and cultivated, and houses, churches 
and towns ])uilt. In 1S()8, he was unanimously elected coun- 
ty clerk and held the office until 1865, and afterwards from 
October, 1S7(I. to October, 1871, and from 1876 to 1885. It 
was not very a lucrative office at first, and the records required 
no safes or vaults, and in fact needed no other office than his 
hat; hence, as it was a frontier custom to wear one's hat dur- 
ing all waking hours, it could be safely said that "Honest 
Old Ned," as he was called, was always in his office and ready 
for business. At his death he left a wife and six sons and 
daughters, of whom hve are now living, viz: Mrs. J. N. 
Hoskinson, Mrs. E. 0. Ollerman and Mrs. F. Hebron, and 
Carl and Clarence Bisl)ee. 

John M. Davey, now and for many years an honorable niei'- 
chant and citizen ofPonca, was born in Washington county. 
Wisconsin, in 1845 and lived in that state until his twenty- 
eighth year. He then came to Nebraska, and located on 
Elk Creek, Dakota county. After two years, he removed to 
Ponca, (1875.) where he has been in the mercantile business 
most of the time since. His large store, i'25 by 1)0 feet.) is on 
East street, and from the hrst he has had a large patronage 
and a wide circle of friends. Mr. Davey married thirty-three 
years ago a lady who died at the end of six years. His 
present wife, to whom he was married nineteen years ago, was 
Mary McCormick whose parents resided in Dakota county. 
He has had ten children, three by his first wife and seven by 
his second. Mr. Davey has an attractive and homelike 
residence just outside of Ponca. In financial affairs he has 
been very successful and is now a large land owner in Da- 
kota and Dixon counties. 

N. S. Porter was ))()ru in 18o2 in the town of Poland, 
Chautauqua county, N. Y. Lived in that county until 20 
years old. and then with his father went to Pennsylvania to 
build mills. Stayed there three years and returned to James- 
town and was foreman in the mill business until 1S57. Then 
with P]. M. Bisbee and V. W. Todd came west. They spent 
the winter of l857-'58in Wisconsin, and in '58 came to Ponca, 
and soon after he bought the claim he now lives on. From 
'58 to '70, worked mainly at mill building. Was married in 
1868 to Louisa TilTanv of Jamestown. N. Y. Have had four 




JOHN M. DAVEY 



(See page i66. ) 




MRg. J. M. DAVEY. 

(See page i66 ) 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 171 

children, three sons and one daughter, two of whom, Albert 
and Joseph are now living. His wife died November Hi, 
1888. In '62 and '()o he enlisted and helped to recruit and 
organize Company I of the First Nebraska Cavalry. Was 
mustered out in fall of '()3. In '64 was a member of the 
teiTitorial legislature, and in '66 was elected senator to the 
state legislature and re-elected in '68. Was in the mercan- 
tile business with S. Camble or alone, in '69, '70, '71. Was 
county commissioner four years and was elected inspector 
of prisons for two year. From '79 was agent at the Fort 
Peck Indian Agency, Montana, for four years; was appointed 
l)y President Cleveland, in 1886, to allot lands to Indians on 
Indian territory and re-appointed l)y President Harrison and 
served three years. Has since remained at Ponca. Mr. 
Porter has had a busy and responsilde life. 

Samuel (lamble, was one of the early settlers of Northern 
Nebraska. First residing in Dakota county and afterwards 
and up to the time of his death in Dixon, he was in both for 
many years a prominent citizen, closely connected with their 
history, enterprise and l)usiness. He was born August S, 
1817, in Westmorland county, Penn..grew to manhood there, 
and lived in that county more than half his life. Was 
married April 22, 18-12, to Mrs. Eleanor McCauley Adair, with 
whom, sixteen years afterwards, in 1856, he removed to Da- 
kota county, this state. At the time of his death, September 
2. 18SS, he had l)een a resident of Nebraska for over 
thirty-one years, and it may ])e assumed that like all hrst 
settlers of a new^ country, he and his wife endured for a time, 
])erhaps for years, the privations and hardships incident to 
frontier life. In 1866 he was afflicted by the death ef his 
wife, who died on the 20th of April of that year, after a 
married life of about twenty-four years. During his resi- 
dence in Dakota county. Mr. (lamble's correct business 
methods and merits in whatever position he was placed, 
gained him from the first, the confidence of the citizens. 
He was for several years a county commissioner, and after- 
wards was sheriff for six years. In 1862 he enlisted in 
Company I of the First Nebraska Cavalry, and as quarter- 
master served thirteen months. During his service his 
regiment was most of the time on the western frontier 
assisting to quell the Indian outbreak which was then so 



17> HISTORY OV DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

desperate, especially in Minnesota and parts of Dakota, and 
which occasioned the wildest terror and panic in the then 
sparsely settled counties of North Nebraska. In lSfi7, Mr. 
Gamble married Miss Celestie Manard. In that year he 
removed to Ponca and engaged in the mercantile business 
which he continued until 1S77. 

R. H. Pomeroy. was j)orn in Stenl)en county. N. Y., 
September U), 1S44. Landed in Dixon county, SeptemUer 
U). lS(iS. Located on the southwest quarter of section 21. 
township 2S. range -"). (Springbank township.) The li)0 
acres he Hrst took he still retains. Was county com- 
missioner three years, ('SI, 'S2, 'S3) and has l)een county 
treasurer twotei-ms, his present term ending in January. lS9r>. 
Mr. Pomeroy has l)een an influential and useful citizen for 
the county. Mainly through his efforts, the attempt to re- 
bond the county to pay the old narrow gauge railroad bonds 
was defeated, therel)y saving the county near $100,(1110. He 
was married, March 10. ISBS, to Agatha D. Chapel, of Spring- 
grove. Wis. They have had hve children, four of whom are 
living. 

Harriet A. Pomeroy. daughter of R. H. Pomeroy. was 
appointed deputy treasurer, January 7. bSi)2, and luisheld it 
four years, fulfilling the duties with entire success. 

John McKinley was born in County Antrim. Ireland, in 
1S38. He came across the ocean in '51. and for a while was 
at Williamsburg, N. Y., where he shoveled dirt and graded 
streets. From there he went to Connecticut, near New 
Haven, and woi-ked on a farm and in a saw mill. Returned 
to New York again and quarried stone one winter. Then 
went to Philadelphia; worked at various things there and 
out in the country until isr)7. when he came to Dixon coun- 
ty. First took a claim on the Jourdan branch (in the South 
Creek region), and held it down a year, and then went to St. 
Louis. Mo., and from there to New Orleans and other places 
in Louisiana. Returned here and entered 1(>0 acres seven 
miles from Ponca. up West Creek, and lived there four or live 
years. Then traded that place for the one he now lives on 
adjoining Ponca. He lias 2S0 acres. He was a reliable and 
etiicient county commissioner and held that office three 
years, '77, '7S, '79. He was marriecl in 1S(U and has one son 
and three daughters. 




R. H. POMEROY. 

I See page 172. ) 




MRS. R. H. POMEROY. 



( See page 172.) 



1 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 177 

J. J. McCarthy was boi-ii in Dane county, Wis., 1857, and 
lived on a farm except when at school. When 19 years old 
he commenced teaching mathematics in the Albion (Wis.) 
Academy, where there were ht'teen teachers and 8(10 scholars. 
Taught two years. When 21 years old he came to David 
City, Neb., and taught school and studied law. In 1882, came 
to Emerson and went into the law and real estate business. 
Built a residence and store, and Emerson's first newspaper 
office, and was connected with its first paper, the "Emerson 
p]cho." Has l)een in the mercantile business at Elmerson, 
with Theodore Knntz for several years past, and president of 
the German American Bank since it started in 1892. Mar- 
ried June, 1884, to Nelly McUowan of Seward county. Neb. 
Have five children, all living. Elected county attorney in 
189(1 and has held it ever since, his present term expiring a 
year hence. Removed to Ponca in 1889. As county attorney 
he has been thorough and successfnl. and has given excellent 
satisfaction. 

John A. Mohr was born in Clayton county, Iowa, and in 
Clayton and Delaware counties lived twenty-six years, during 
the last few years of which he was largely engaged in manu- 
facturing and bridge building. He removed to Ponca in 
September, 1881, and has remained here, actively occupied 
since then. He was engaged in merchandise three and one- 
half years, and afterwards in 188(i, went into the furniture 
business with James Hobbs. In 1887, he bought out Mr. 
Hobbs, and has since continued in the same business. During 
the time, he also built agreat number of the excellent bridges 
which the board of supervisors have wisely supplied the 
county. Mr. Mohr was mayor of Ponca during one year, 
from May, '98, to May, '94. and has been on the school board 
seven years, 'all of the time except one year as director,) and 
his present term expires two years hence. He was married 
in February, 1885, to Mr.ggie J. McKinley, daughter of Mr. 
and Mrs. John McKinley of Ponca. and has two children 
boys. Mr. Mohr has l)een very popular with the citizens by 
reason of his efforts in advocating improvements and enter- 
prises which were beneficial to the city and county. He has 
(lone a large and honorable business and his store has an 
immense stockof goods and a great community of patrons. 



irs HISTORY OF DIXOJS' COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Asa W. Rose was horn in Norwich, Connecticut, in 1S47. 
His parents removed to Muscatine, Towa, in 1(S54, where 
they resided for one year when they removed by team to 
what is now Rock Falls in Cerro (lordo county, Iowa, and 
two years later settled upon their farm near Plymouth in 
same county until 1SB(>, The subjectof this sketch enlisted in 
Company M, 1st Iowa cavalry and served two years and eight 
months and was discharged at St. Louis at the close of the 
war, when he returned home, and the next year with his par- 
ents removed to Union county, Dakota, where they settled 
upon homesteads in the western part of the county on the 
banks of the Missouri, opposite the town of Ionia. In ISHS, 
he was married to Almira J. Bishop, who died a few months 
later. In the winter of 1S()1) he removed to Ionia, where he 
with a Mr. Leavens opened a general store. In December. 
IS7(), he was married to Carrie L. Hill, daughter of L. T. Hill 
of Ionia, where they resided until 1SH9, when they removed 
to Ponca township, where they have since resided. In Jan- 
uary. 1S98. Mr. Hose was appointed county judge pro teni, 
by the board of county supervisors during the illness of .ludge 
Reynolds, and in July of the same year upon the death of 
Judge Reynolds was appointed county judge. In the fall of 
the same year was elected to the same office and in Novem- 
ber, 1S95, was again elected, breaking the record and receiv- 
ing the largest vote ever cast for any one man in Dixon 
county. 

('arrie L. Rose, the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. T. 
Hill, was born in Boston, Mass., in 1S58. With her parents, 
came to Davenport, Iowa, in '5B and to Ionia in '59, where in 
70 she was married to Asa W. Rose. In the spring of 1S92. 
Mrs. Rose with her children removed to Soquel. Cal.. in the 
hopes that the health of theii- eldest daughter Alice E. Rose 
might be benefitted. Their hopes were not realized, for in 
October of the same year she died at that place, aged 20 years. 
Mrs. Rose and children remained at Soquel until the fall of 
1S94 when they returned to Ponca. 

M, F. Richards came liei-e fi-om McHenry county, Mich., 
in IiSS;"), and is a luost ivliable I'esident. He has been city 
marshal, and for a year past deputy sheriff, and has been 
appointed deputy by Sheriff Hart foi- the term commencing 
Jan. 1. '9(1 




JUDGE A. W. ROSE. 

^ See page 1 78. ) 




MRS. A. W. ROSE. 
(See page 17R.) 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 188 

W. W. Cooper was boni in Sauk county, Wisconsin, July 
S. 1S()(). His father owned a large farm on which he worked 
until the age of 21. He attended common school winters 
and worked on the farm the bakmce of the year, till 17 years 
old, when he finished the "Course of Study for Country 
Schools" and attended Spring Green high school one term. 
In the following spring he attended teachers' examination 
and secured third grade certificate and the following winter 
taught his hrst term of school. He continued to teach in 
winter and work on farm in summer until spring of 1882, 
when he, with two other brothers, went west and settled in 
Spink county, S. D., and took a claim and remained there 
two years, when, owing to complete failure of crops, he re- 
turned to his home in Wisconsin and again taught school 
in winter and worked at other work in summer. In 
1886 he again came west and accepted a position with his 
brother in the office of county auditor at Canton, S. D., which 
he held two years, when he resigned to accept the position 
of deputy treasurer, which he held till spring of 1898, when 
he resigned the position and came to Ponca and opened a 
real estate and abstract office. August 1, 181)2, he was 
married to Miss p]va A. Prince at Canton, S. I). Mr. Cooper 
was elected in the fall of 1895 to the office of clerk of the 
district court for Dixon county, commencing his duties in 
January, 189(). 

W. P. Logan, a prominent young business man. now of 
New Castle, was born at Troy, Kansas. Nov. 29, 1868, and 
came to Nebraska at an early age with his parents and to 
Ponca a few years ago. Was employed in the Farmers and 
Merchants l)ank and First National of Ponca from 1885 to 
1898, and was city treasurer in 1892. In March, '98, was 
elected cashier of the Farmers State bank at New Castle, of 
which he was one of the organizers and stockholders, and to 
which place he removed. Mr. Logan was largely instru- 
mental in the building of the new S4.(K)() school house there 
recently, while director of the district. He is now serving 
his second term as village treasurer of that place. Mr. 
Logan is a young man of tine attainments which are shown 
in his efforts for the up-building of New Castle. He was 
married, December 28. 1S9(), to (iail Conner, of Ponca, and 
now has two children. 



1«4 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

S. P. iMikesell was born in Indiana count}', Penn., Jane 
14, 1S;^1). lleceived a preparatory education for college, at 
Eldersridge Academy, and entered the Sophomore class, 
Pennsylvania Colleiie. in ISBl. Left the junior class in 1S(>8 
and joined the '2Bth Pegiment of Pennsylvania volunteers, 
commanded by Col. Jennings. 

After the l)attle of Gettysburg he was appointed clerk in 
the ordinance office, war department, Washington. Resigned 
this position in the fall of 1S65, and came to Nebraska in 
March, 1SH(). Was a resident of Dakota City and Sioux City 
three years. In June, 18(>9, located in Ponca and entered 
the mercantile l)nsiness with John Stough under the hrm 
name of Stough tV: Mikesell. On January 1, ISSa, the firm 
was dissolved, and in September of the same year, Mr. Mike- 
sell opened the large store C^Hx 100 feet) which he had pre- 
viously built and which he has occupied from that time to 
the present. Mr. Mikesell is one of the most successful 
and relial)le merchants in the county, and in other pursuits 
as well as merchandise, has an immense luisiness. In 
education and executive ability he probably has no superiors 
in the county. At New Castle, Mr. M. has another extensive 
mercantile establishment of which J. M. Hoskinson is mana- 
ger. Mr. Mikesell has a wife and three grow^n up sons. A 
view of his large residence, as well as his portrait, are seen 
on the following pages. 

P. McCabe has been an excellent and popular sheriif four 
years, his term ending January 1, l.Sl)(). He came to this 
country at an early day, and has a large and valuable farm 
on which as in othei" business he has been successful. 

J. I). Harris, who has been the clerk of the dis- 
trict court for several years, resides a stone's throw outside 
the city limits, where he and his family have a pleasant home. 
Mr. Harris has also been deputy county clerk several terms, 
and in official business of that kind, it is not likely he can be 
exc(dled. 

Dr. Stevenson, a reputable dentist, recently located in 
l-'onca, taking the i)lace of Di-. Wasson. who r(unove(l to 
Sioux (My. 

Dr. J. M. O'Connell lias been a successful physician at 
this place for the past fifteen years, and has the confidence 
of the people and a large practice. 




S. p. MIKESELL. 

(See page 184.) 



I- 



1 -*^ <* 




Hl, 




S. p. MIKESELL'S RESIDENCE, PONCA. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 189 

Bioii H. (.'ulver was born in Uru.nhy township, Oswego 
county, N. Y., in 1S57. In 1860, his parents removed to a farm 
near Dixon, 111., where his father died in 1S()5. In 1870, he 
and his mother came to Nebraska and lived on a homestead 
near Pleasant Dale, in Seward county, till the fall of 1875. 
While living here he attended school in district No. 17 about 
eight months, the only public school he ever attended. In 
the spring of 1875, passed examination before the county su- 
perintendent of Lancaster county and received his hrst teach- 
er's certificate. In September, 1875, he entered the State 
University as a student. He worked his way through an 
eight-year course at the University by occasionally teaching, 
and graduated with the class of 1883, receiving the degree of 
B. S. After graduating he was elected principal of the pub- 
lic schools at Rulo. He served a short time, and was then 
called back to his alma mater, the State University, to take 
the responsible position of instructor in modern languages. 
He held this position for three years after wdiich he went to 
Denver to take a position as teacher but failing health com- 
pelled him to abandon school entirely for some time. In 
1888, he went to Europe to complete his studies in the lan- 
guages. While there he attended a post-graduate course of 
lectures at the Bavarian Royal University at Munich, (ler- 
many. Since returning to America has l)een constantly en- 
gaged in school work and is now serving his hfth year as 
principal of the Ponca public schools. Prof. Culver was mar- 
ried Aug. 9, 181)o, to Miss Cynthia J. Culp of Constantine, 
Mich., who for several years has been the efficient assistant 
principal of the Ponca high school. 

Dr. J. W. Porter was born in Chautauqua county. New 
York, and came to Ponca in 18!)8. He was elected county 
judge in October, '71, and held that office until January 1, 
1876. Since then he has had a very successful practice as a 
physician. He has a wife and four children. 

T. J. Welty came to Ponca in 18()9. Was a farmer at 
first, then a merchant, and afterwards gave excellent satis- 
faction as county clerk for hve years. 

J. Hewett came to Dixon county at an early day. First 
settled in Silver Creek and afterwards removed to Ponca, 
where he now resides. Has had various city offices and is 
much respected by the citizens. 



190 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

T. J. Sheibley, was born in Diincannon, Perry county, Pa.^ 
July 12, 1S45. Was raised on a farm and lived there till 
April 19. isrn, when he enlisted at Duncannon in C'ompany 
B of the First Pennsylvania Rifles, (Bucktails,) and was dis- 
charged, November 19, 1864, at Harrisburg, Pa. During all 
the time he was in the army, he was in active service and 
in many engagements. He participated in the battles of 
Mechanicsville, Va., June 26, 1S62; Gaines Mill, Va., June 27; 
Charles City Cross Roads, Va., June 80; the second battle of 
Bull Run, Va., August 29 and 30; South Mountain. Md., 
September 14; Antietam, Md., September 16 and 17; Fred- 
ericksburg, Va., Deceml)er 13; all the above being in 1862. 
In 1863 he was in the battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2 and 3, 
where he was slightly wounded. Was in the Mine Run 
campaign in December, 1863, and in the battle of Spottsyl- 
vania Court House May 8 and 9, 1864, where he lost a leg. 
That ended his military career. He was discharged in the 
November following. The "Bucktails." celebrated as among 
the bravest troops on the northern side, were skirmishing 
and scouting nearly all the time and at the end of the war 
over three-fourths of them had been killed or wounded. Mr. 
Sheibley on his discharge, returned to Duncannon. where^ 
from June, 1865. he was postmaster until May 15, 1S()9. He 
was elected register and recorder of Perry county in October, 
'69, and held the office three years. In June 73. i-emoved to 
Dixon county and settled on the southeast ([uarter, section 
8, townslii}) 2S. range 1), (Otter Creek township.) He now 
has 320 acres there, in October, 1SS5, on account of ill 
health of wife, removed to Florida and returned to Ponca in 
June, 1887. Was elected county clerk of Dixon county, 
November 5. ISSl). and was re-elected in "91 and '93. during 
the six years, holding the office with ability and to the entire 
satisfaction of all, l)eing, indeed, one of the most thoi'(mgh 
officers the county has evei- had. lie was married July (>. 
1872, to Sai-ah Wertz of Landesburg, Pa.. They haxc one 
daughter. Miss Anna Slieihlcx. who has been deputy county 
clerk for four years, and who. in knowledge of the office and 
in business accomplishments, has few superiors. 

Mark Brown, another worthy citizen, honorably served 
in the war four years, and was sheriff of the county two 
terms. 




T. J. SHEIBLEY. 



I See i)ai;e 190. ) 



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HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 195 

There are a great many more citizens of Ponca who are 
deserving of special notices, but the extraordinary length of 
this chapter requires that the list be abridged. 

Of those residents of Ponca not thus far mentioned but 
deserving of it and only lack of room preventing, are J. W. 
Armstrong, Wm. Austin, J. H. Cole, F. Conrad. E. B. Camp- 
bell, L. J Coyle, (the agent at the railroad depot,) Thomas 
Crev^. Daniel and Michael Donlin who are further mentioned 
in the part relating to Ponca township, Wm. Dullaghan the 
present efficient city marshal, A. J. Deal, Nate Heyden, 0. 
L. Longmire. Fay and Selim Mattison, C. H. Marble, T. S. 
Myers, M. M. Myers, Albert Meyer, John McClary, P. J. 
Morris, A. J. Phillips, J. N. Peel, James Rush, Mr. Rogers, 
W. E. Pogue, Henry Sheffel, Jacob Sailor, Lee and Cy. 
Sincenbaugh, J. Thompkins, J. P. Travis, etc., etc. 

Coml)ined, the citizens of Ponca form a community which 
in intelligence, enterprise and morals is not surpassed by any 
town in the state. 

Ponca has five churches, viz: The Lutheran, which has 
h-id the following pastors. Dr. W. Kuhns of Omaha came in 
LSfio, followed in '07 by Prof. Samuel Aughey a short time 
and after him Rev. J. F. Kuhlman from 78 to 7S. followed by 
Revs. (1. H. Schnur, A. B. Schrader, Samuel Smith and W. 
C. McCool. An elegant church, one of the finest in this part 
of the state, was erected in 1S92. 

The Presbyterian church, organized in 1S7], has had the 
the following pastors in the order here given: Revs. W. H. 
Clark, Chapman. R. L. Wheeler, (12 years.) Smith, (Iraves 
and Young. The society has a hue church well fitted up 
and furnished. 

The Methodist church, has had the following pastors: 
Revs. J. B. Leedom; W. J. Barger. 76; F. H. Calder; Joel A. 
Smith, 79, 'SO; J. Fowler, 'SO. 'S2; J. B. Priest, 'S2. 'S5: C. F. 
Haywood, '85; J. H. Keeley: J. L. St. Clair. 'SS; J. H. Frazer; 
W. P. Kingsbury; J. H. Johnson; W. H. Linn, 93; J. M. Both- 
well, 94; and F. G. Perry. '95. The Methodist society have a 
large and well arranged church, built in 1SS5 to take the 
place of the one blown down. 

The Baptist church was organized in ISSO, and has since 
had the following pastors: Revs. J. B. Ward. J. R. Wolf, F. 



196 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

(t. Boughtoii and I). W. Bouck. The church building is like 
the others, tastily built and comfortably arranged. 

A large and commodious C'atholic church was l)uilt in 
1890, and its pastors have been, Fathers Schmit, Hanley and 
Geary. This and the other churches named have large con- 
gregations, and are ])rominent in good works and in the 
promotion of morals. 

As has been previously mentioned. Ponca's large school 
building was l)uilt and took the place of the old one. in 1S7S.. 
It has since been doubled in size, and a smaller school build- 
ing erected on another street. For several years past, from 
six to eight teachers have been employed nine months in 
the year. The school is graded and the teachers are well 
skilled, and with the lagre number of scholars, improvement 
is rapid and satisfactory. 

The lodges and lienevolent societies in Ponca are the 
following: A. F. & A. M., I. 0. of 0. F., Knights of Pythias. 
Woodmen, Workmen, Daughters of Rebekah, Knights of the 
Maccabees, Women's Relief Corps, (I. A. R., W. R. C. and W. 
C. T. U. 

All the above have large memberships. The Masons, 
Odd Fellows and (1. A. R. have large halls appropriately 
fitted up and furnished. 

The city council for this year are (i. li. Wood, mayor; W. 
W. Cooper, clerk: and M. M. Sencenbaugh, A. J. Phillips. M. 
I. Mellon, E. K. Halstead, K. J. Berry and Julius Di-ager. 
council men. 

Ponca has a tine system of waterworks at present uudei- 
the superintendency of O. P. Sullenberger. 

John Austin and sons at Ponca landing have a ferry so 
that those who so desire, cjiii without much expense (\s('ape 
into South Dakota. 




a 
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HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 199 



CHAPTER XVI. 

lONlA AND PONCA ToWNSHIPS^ ThEIK ClTIZENS, EtC, EtC. 

IONIA TOWNSHIP. 

The I'egioii comprising the township of Ionia is bounded 
on the north and east by the Missouri river, south by 
the townships of New Castle and Ponca, and west 
by Hooker. Except the bottom hind ah)ng the river, the 
country is rough and hilly, but all. whether hill or valley, 
has excellent soil, good water, and, especially on the bottoms, 
large tracts of valuable timber. The township has now 
about 550 inhabitants. It has had no village since the 
town site of Ionia was swept away by the river. The only 
reminders of that unfortunate place now remaining, are the 
Ionia ferryboat which, as near as may be, still traverses its 
ancient path across the river, and the Ionia post office a 
mile or two east of where old Ionia stood. To this part of 
the county the notice of settlers was attracted at an early 
day, and at one time, as we have seen in the preceding pages, 
Ionia was a place of much importance and business. Among 
those who have been in the past or are at i)resent prominent 
in Ionia, are the following: 

L. T. Hill was born in West Concord. Vt., in 1S28. Was 
married to Sarah J. Smitli in Boston, Mass.. in 1S5*2. and in 
LS57 they removed from Boston to Davenport, Iowa, where 
he was engaged in business until the spring of 1S59 when he 
came to Ionia, that town site having been purchased for him 
the year l)efore by the Messrs. Pierce. To the building up 
of Ionia, Mr. Hill, with energy and success devoted several 
years, and saw it advance from a naked town site to a pros- 
perous place of l)usiness. with a i)()pulati<)n of several 
hundred. A more extended account of its growth has been 
given elsewhere. During the Indian scare of PSBS, Mr. Hill 
was away from home and his wife refused to leave the place, 



200 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

herself and family beinj^ the only ones in that part of the 
county that were not frightened away. In 1S()I. with the 
assistance of John Taft'e, tlien delegate in congress from 
Nebraska, Mr. Hill succeeded in establishing a post ofhce at 
Ionia, and at the same time apost office at Vermillion, Da- 
kota the latter being the hrst post office established in that 
territory. In ISSl. Mr. Hill, with his family removed to 
Canton, Dakota, where he built a large grist mill, and where 
he resided until 1S1)2. In that year he went to California 
where some of his children had preceded him and whei-e he 
now resides. During all the years that he liv^ed in Ionia, his 
doors were always open to any and all who chanced to come 
that way, and his hospitality knew no bounds. Mr. Hill was 
a prominent citizen of Dixon county during his residence 
here. He was probate judge for several years. 

Henry M. Pierce and his father, J. J. Pierce, were htted 
out by L. T. Hill in Davenport in I85S and employed by him 
to come west and locate a town site somewhere in the wilds 
of Nebraska, and the same year they secured the town site 
of Ionia which had been previously located, Mr. Hill join- 
ing them the following year. J. J. Pierce died in North 
Bend in this county about twenty years ago. Henry M. 
Pierce is now living in Sioux City, Iowa, 

Nelson Feauto and Isaac Feauto, brothers, settled upon 
the farm now owned by J. F. Cibbs. northwest of Ionia in 
ISBl. Isaac Feauto died u])on the place he located in 1S7'2. 
The wife of Nelson Feauto died and was buried upon their 
fai-in in bS70, and he died at St. Helena, Cedar county in 
ISDO. Both brothers left large families. Nelson Feauto, Jr., 
of Emerson, is the only descendant of the two families living 
in the county. 

Charles H. Smith, came with L. T. Hill to Ionia in ls:)9. 
was married in 1S()2 to Clarissa Pierce, and now resides on 
his farm of over 2(10 acres near the original town site of 
Ionia. He has for several years past been postmaster at 
the Ionia post office. He has the finest farm and the finest 
buildings in all that part of of the c()unty and has raised 
a family of eight children, seven of whom are living, and 
three are married and settled neai- hi in. 

Almond Smith and wife, the father and mother of Mrs. L. 
T. Hill and C. H. Smith, came to Ionia in ISBO where they 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 201 

lived with tlieiv son, C. H.Smith, and where (irtindma Smith 
died in 1878 and tTrand])a Smith in 1880 at the ages of 78 
and 85 years respectively. Both were buried in the Ionia 
cemetery. They enjoyed the distinction of being the oldest 
couple in the county for several years. 

Roswell Hotchkiss settled a))ove Ionia upon the place 
now owned by T. -I. Ryan, in 185(). Removed to Colorado in 
18()8 where he still remains 

Joseph Stefani settled in Ionia township in 1859 upon the 
place now owned l)y J. F. (libbs and was married to Betsey 
Sutherland in 18Bi). He conducted a general store in Ionia 
in 1872 and 187:J and removed to Burb ink, Dakota, in '73, 
near which place he now resides. 

In 1S70 William B., Allen H. and dohn W. Ellyson, 
brothers, settled in Ionia, and together built the hrst steam 
ferry in operation in the county. They are now all prosper- 
ous farmers in Ionia township. A. H. Ellyson was county 
commissioner and supervisor several terms. 

Edward Newton and family settled in Ionia in 18B1). He 
with Bosley and Landon leased and run the Ionia steam 
saw and grist mills of L. T. Hill for five years. Bosley re- 
tiring. (). P. Sullenberger took his place in the firm the 
second year. Mr. Newton is now a successful farmer, living 
upon one of his farms in Ponca townshi]). 

Dexter Rice settled with his family upon the place now^ 
owned by A. H. Ellyson in Ionia township in 18()(). removing 
from there in 187() to a valual)le farm in Hooker township 
where he now lives. 

Benjamin, James P. and Sylvester Cook, l)rothers. settled 
near Ionia in 18()4. Benjamin removed, went to Iowa in '85 
and remained there. James P. removed to Ponca in 1880 
and has since lived there, and Sylvester still resides, a well 
to do farmer, upon his farm in Ionia township. 

T. J. Ryan, the supervisor of Ionia at this time (1895). 
came to that township in 18S1 from Dakota and devoted him- 
self to farming and stock raising with great success. He 
now owns l.PJO acres, a large share of it heing rich Missouri 
river bottom land. 450 acres of which are under cultivation. 
800 acres of timber and the balance meadow and pasture. 
His farm lias two good houses, several large farm barns, one 
of them lieing 85x100 feet, two flowing wells, respectively 



202 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

407 and 2.65 feet deep, the Hrst wells of the kind in the coiin- 
ty, a steam saw mill, and in conDection a steam syrnj) fac- 
tory, all with the best machinery and latest improvements, 
in which he made 5,000 gallons of sorghnm syrup in 't)4 and 
the same in '95. He is one of the most progressive and inde- 
pendent of Dixon county farmers and cannot be worth less. 
than $35,000. His family consists of a wife, one son and 
six daughters. See his portrait elsewhere. 

Amasa Pettit, supervisor in '92 and '93, came from Dako- 
ta about 1SS5. He has 200 acres of bottom land and is a good 
farmer in good circumstances. He has a large family. 

John F. (tibbs is one of Dixon county's best citizens, re- 
sides in Ionia, where he and his sons own ()(l() acres of excel- 
lent valley land. Mr. (ribl)s was a member of the board of 
supervisors in 1SS7-S. 

Among the other prosperous farmers of Ionia at this 
time, may be mentioned Eli Heald and B. Pearson. 

Rev. W. S. Bates, a much esteemed former resident of 
Ionia, died at Nevada, Iowa, October 2S, 1S79. He was suji- 
erintendent of schools for Dixon County during 72-73-74 
and 75. 

As a matter of course there are many more farmers in 
the township, thickly settled as it is, than those we ha\ e 
mentioned above. Among them are Elias Warner, quite an 
old settler and who, in addition to farming, has had a mill 
since 18()9; M. L. Smathers, Andrew Spellacy, etc., etc. The 
names of others have not been furnished us. 

Ionia township has good school houses and the schools are 
generally well attended and have efficient teachers. Icuiia 
used to l)e cele))rated for its valuable timber, its volcano, its 
town and its hospitable citizens. Of the timbei' there is yet 
much remaining, although the l)est has been cut off and nuide 
into lumber. The volcano and the townsite are now both 
buried in mud at the bottom of the Missouri river and the hos- 
l)itality and good society of an excellent class of citizens 
jilone remain. 

The i)ortraits of Mr. and Mrs. L. T. Hill, will by their 
many foi'iner friends and neighbors in Ionia, be seen with 
pleasure, and they will be found on tlic next pages. They 
will bring back the remembrance (»f old times and the hard- 
ships and pleasures of frontier life. 




L. T. HILL. 




MES. L. T. HILL. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 307 

PONCA TOWNSHIP. 

The good citizens of Poiica township have l)een and are 
now nnmerons, and the names of a few of them will here be 
fonnd. 

Charles F. Putnam, one of the most respected of the 
pioneers, wasl)orn in Cavendish, Vt.,in lS:-]5. Went to Massa- 
chusetts in '4(), came to Ponca in '56, and made his home there 
or in Ponca township ever since. Roughed it in early times 
with the rest of the settlers. Lived in Ponca one year, then 
took as a homestead a place now owned by J. CI. Crowell, a 
mile west of Jeff. Wilbur's farm. The farm he now owns 
and has lived on for the past twelve years contains bSO acres, 
and is well located and cultivated. Mr. Putnam was the 
first sheriff of the county, and has since usefully filled sev- 
eral offices. He is in every respect a worthy citizen and 
highly esteemed throughout the county. His excellent 
memory of past events has greatly assisted in the prepara- 
tion of tliis history. Mr. Putnam is married and has two 
sons and one daughter. 

A Davis, another pioneer, came to this county January 
'). 1S(U, and hrst located at Ponca. In the fall of '65 he was 
elected county treasurer, and held that office year after year 
by the almost unanimous consent of the citizens, until Jan- 
uary. 1S7(> ten years. Much of the time, Mr. Davis, like 
Bisbee, carried his office in his hat, yet with such extreme 
carefulness, that every cent received was promptly account- 
ed for. A few years ago he removed to Ponca township, 
where, on an excellent farm and with a clear conscience, he 
passes his h()n(n'al)le days with his family in peace and com- 
fort. 

M. B. Dewitt came here in ISHC). took a homestead and 
now lives on what was the old Beardshear homestead. He 
and his children have 510 acres well cultivated and good 
buildings. Has a wife and 4 sons and 8 daughters. He was 
sheriff five terms, and supervisor six years. His portrait ap- 
pears with those of the supervisors of 1<S95. In the preced- 
ing pages some of his experiences as sheriff appear in con- 
nection with the Mat Miller trial and the Indians who mur- 
dered Munson. 

Rev. H. Beardshear, the father-in-law of Mr. Dewitt, 
came in 1S65, and located where he now lives. 



1 



30K HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Samue^BiggprstiitT. ISIU, lived and di(M| in Tonca town- 
ship. Omied \^^\) arrcs. Tliomas Stc)l)aiii>li and Joseph 
Morehouse came with Bi«igerstaff. Morehouse is dead and 
Stohau<>h in Missouri. 

S. H. Croats. iSlw. came from Iowa, was county surveyor 
several years and had a farm near Sheriif Dewitt's. He was 
prominent in county affairs and a useful citizen. He went 
to the Black Hills about 1875. 

Mordecca Smith came in 1S7(> and has a uood farm wliere 
he resides. 

John h'oden is one of the wealthiest men in the county.. 
He has several hundreil acres where he lives, and is lar^-ely 
engaged in farming and stock raising. He was one of the 
early settlers of the county, coming here in lsr)(). 

Jefferson \Vill)ur has been a resident for o\'er tliirty-Hve 
years. He has a larg? farm about a mile west of Ponca and 
owns property in town. 

David Carnell came with Mr. l>evvitt, hi^ brother-in-law. 
and settled near him. He died many yeai's ago. leaving a 
large family. His widow married Charles Birber. 

George Mattison was an early settler and is a [)rominent 
farmer and business man. For several years he was in the 
milling business and is now largely engaged in farming, 
buying and shipping cattle, etc. He has a large farm, 
tine house and imi)rovements where he and his family 
reside, and has the respect and esteem of the count) at large. 
He was elected to the legislature a year ago and served his 
constituents with ability and success. 

H. H. Heller and his brothers, K. Beller and Phil Heller, 
came here at an eai-l>' d ly. 'rii;\v hrst located in the town- 
ship and B. H. now resides there. The otliers have removed 
to l^)nca city. B. H. Beller wa ^ sheriff of the county in 1S74 
and bS7r). All are i-espected and worthy citizens. 

"Old Man" Shook, a^ he was called, came here in lSli2 
from Sioux City and lived in the timl)er scniual years. He 
died al)out twenty-si.\ years ago. 

John Enders c.ime in the fall of 'u') ami his brother, Jesse 
Enders. about '()(>. Both are farnuM-saiid both have valuable 
farms and improvemcMits. They have families and are in 
comfortable circumstances. 

Julius Shiruer canu' with Xi(dv Wallensteiii fi-om Cermany 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 209 

ill 1S7M, aiul owns a valiuihle farm of 400 acres. Has a large 
family. 

Benjamin Seneenbangli, tlie father of Lee Sencenbaugh 
and Cy Sencenbaugh of Ponca city, located about 1S66 in 
Ponca township on a homestead adjoining and south of the 
Donlin place, (a mile east of town). Late in the fall of '69, 
while digging a well, and when at a depth of forty feet the 
hoisting box tilled with dirt came loose and fell that distance 
upon him. injnring him so severely that he died that night. 
He was a good and industrious man and much liked in the 
community. 

Daniel Donlin, from Bear Creek, Iowa, settled near where 
Martinsburg now is, in June, ISol). He lived there till Feb- 
ruary 18. 1SB(). and was then frozen to death in a blizzard 
while returning from a trip to Sioux City. (An account of 
this is given elsewhere.) He left a wife and ten childreu. 
In March, 1S5(), his wife and a part of her family removed 
to their farm of IGO acres, about one and one-half miles east of 
Ponca, and has lived there since. Two of the sons, D. F. 
Donlin and Mike Donlin, live and are in Imsiness in Ponca; 
Wm. and Thomas Donlin at Martinsburg, and James and 
John on the farm east of Ponca. 

Wm. O'Connor came from Erie, Pa., in 1S68. Bought 
the place where he now lives, in October of that year. Left 
and went to Iowa after buying the land and was there five 
years. Married in Iowa in ISfv). Came back here in 1868 
and l)ought Adam Smith's farm south of Ponca. Lived there 
ever since '68. Has six children, all living and all born here 
but one. Mr. O'Conner knew President (Tarfleld in 1848, 
when both were drivers on the canal in Ohio. Mr. O'Conner 
is noted as having an excellent memory and education. 

John McKinley and Judge Arnold, both of whom have 
been in a great measure identitied with Ponca township, 
have brief sketches in the chapter relating to Ponca city. 

Wm. Shea was a soldier in the regular army from L835, 
for near twenty years. Was stationed at Fort Randall in 
1861, and from there went south and came back in 1864. 
Soon after, he took a homestead of 160 acres in this town- 
ship, adjoining the Arnold farm, and bought eighty acres 
more on which he lived. He died in 1882. He had no fam- 
ily. The farm is now owned by Wm. O'Conner. 



210 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

1). P. Sherwood came here from the east with his family 
in 1876, and bought and located on the farm of Phil Beller, 
about a mile northwest of Ponca. The same year he com- 
menced raising an orchard. Since then he has added to the 
first quarter section until he now has 720 acres, hill and val- 
ley, well watered and suitably divided into fields by several 
miles of fence. Since the first also, he has devoted his at- 
tention largely to orchards and fruit. He has now over 
8,000 fruit trees, mainly apple, 5,000 of which are old enough 
to bear. His trees are divided into four orchards, in the first 
of which, about 1,000 trees are seventeen years old. In addi- 
tion to apple trees, he has pear, plum and cherry trees and a. 
large number of choice grape vines. He has demonstrated 
that fruit, and good fruit, can be raised here in abundance 
and with profit. Mr. Sherwood deserves the friendly re- 
membrance of the citizens of the county for the persistence 
w4th which he has, in the face of difficulties, short crops and 
many discouragements, kept to his determination to have a. 
great fruit farm. Within a few years, when all his great 
army of trees are bearing, the result will be thousands of 
bushels per year. It is to be hoped he will live to see and 
enjoy the day. Mr. Sherwood is married and has a large 
family of sons and daughters. 

Charles Frederick Blecker came from Prussia in 1S(V2. 
Stopjied in I^ennsylvania seven years and then came to 
this township. Wni. Blecker and August Blecker came 
with liim. Win. died after being here a year, and August 
moved to Iowa about sixteen years ago. Charles bought a 
farm of 11)0 acres and paid $810 for it. He has now 48(^ 
acres well improved and in as fine a location as the county 
affords. Has three sons, two of whom Rol)ert and Charles 
A., are married and have good fai'ms near by, and one 
daughter, nnirried to Fred Kogosh, who lives on West 
Creek. 

Barney McShane. another prosperous pro{)rietoi- of a 
large farm came here some fifteen years ago. 

H. I. Brown has a large farm, highly improved and 
cultivated, a fine resitlence. and groves, fruit trees and 
grape vines in splendid condition, about two miles north- 
west of town. Mr. Brown came here a few years ago and 
has since been prominent in public affairs. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 2VS 

M. Huddleston owned and ran the ferry across the Mis- 
souri at Sioux City in 1857 and conveyed across a large num- 
ber of the people who at that time came to Dixon county. 
He afterwards went to Niobrara and in 1864 came here and 
bought of John Stough the farm he afterwards lived on up 
to about four years ago, when he sold it to the Ponca Driv- 
ing & Fair Association for fairgrounds, race course, etc. Mr. 
Huddleston was never married. A short time before he came 
here, his brother, Wm. Huddleston, became a resident of 
Ponca, and lived there much of the time since then. Both 
are men who have a multitude of friends and without an en- 
emy in the world. 

B. G. Rahn, a resident for a number of years past, has a 
well improved farm of 400 acres. 

Perry Douthit came from Iowa in 1870. Has 400 acres. 
Is largely and profitably engaged in dairying. 

F. S. Payne, a successful farmer, has resided here 6 or 8 
years. 

A. Reynolds, up to his death about two years ago, resided 
for several years on his farm, a short distance northwest of 
Ponca. He was county judge in '90, '91, '92 and '98, and 
performed the duties of the office acceptably. He had also 
been supervisor of Ponca township in 1886, and some years 
before was postmaster at Ponca. He left a wife and several 
children, who still reside on the pleasant farm owned by 
him. 

E. W. Shaw came from New York in 1879. Started a 
harness shop in Ponca and then bought a farm two miles 
east. He has 838 acres, well improved, and is a successful 
farmer. 

W. F. Robinson and family came here from Meigs 
county, Ohio, in April, 1890. Wm. Scott and J. D. Kautz 
(sons-in-law of Mr. Robinson,) and their families came with 
him. All live in Ponca township. Robinson has 160 acres, 
and Scott and Mr. Kautz 200 each. Mr. R. has a wife and 
nine sons and daughters, six of whom are married. 

Antone Engle, came to Ponca township about 1872 and 
is a successful farmer. He was one of the county com- 
missioners in 1888 and 1884, two years, at the end of which 
time he resigned. 



^14 HIHTOKY OF ULXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

0. Waterman came in IHS;) from Ida county. Iowa, vviiere 
be had been audito)- and clerk for ten years. He first boujjfbt 
1(11) acres here, and now owns 4(11), all fenced and improved. 
Has a wife and eight sons and danghtei>;, all mari-ied 
except t\vo. 

An institution that in a county of so much abundance is 
next to useless, is the county poor farm. The farm is in 
Ponca township and is situated three miles west of Ponca 
(m the Silvercreek road and cohtains 160 acres of good land. 
The house is 24x5') feet, and two stories high, containing IS 
rooms. The grounds around the house are artistically 
arranged and attractively tilled with shade trees, vines, etc. 
The building was completed in the summer of 1S94 and on 
the 1st of November of that year was opened. R. P. Wil- 
liams, an energetic farmer of Otter Creek, was appointed 
superintendent and remained a year giving good satisfaction 
by his excellent management. During the time there were 
from two to three inmates. 

The names of other of ttie residents of Ponca township are 
doubtless also deserving of mention. These brief notices in 
all townships are furnished us by those who are acquainted 
with the residents, but of course they have been liable to for- 
get many of them. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 315 



CHAPTER XVII. 

Silver Creek, Daily, Hooker, Clark and New Castle TowxN- 
SHIPS AND New Castle Village. 

SILVER CREEK TO\VNSHIP 

Is boanded on the north by New Castle, east by Ponca, 
south by Galena and west by Daily, and is six miles square, 
with not an acre of poor land in it. The township is settled 
by a class of citizens whose farms, dwellings and improve- 
ments are evidences of prosperity and good taste. There 
are no villages in the township. There is one postofRce, 
(Hazel), six schoolhouses and two churches, the West Union 
(Presbyterian) and the (M. E.) Central. 

In 1S74 the Silver Ridge seminary was opened by Rev. 
Walter H. Clark, and was conducted several years and 
hnally discontinued. 

In this township are a large number of orchards, prom- 
inent among which are those on the farms of Mr. Murhn 
Mr. Blecker (the farm bought by him of F. S. Payne) Miller, 
Merritt. Miille, Mendenhall, Russell, Weidenfeldt, Schram 
and Armstrong. With proper attention fruit does well here, 
as it does in every part of the county. 

C. W. Schram is a native of New York state, from whence 
he came to Belle Plaine, Iowa, and from there in 1S71 to 
Omaha, and the following year to Dixon county, locating in 
Silver Creek township. He now has a farm of 820 acres, all 
under excellent cultivation, and the best buildings in the 
township. When he came here he hadn't money enough to 
buy a pair of boots. He is now worth at least $10,000. He 
has held township offices for the past twenty years, and is 
now a member of the board of supervisors. He is married 
and has nine children, all living. See the page of portraits 
of supervisors of 1S1)5. 

Dan Cnrrv came to Dixon county from Pennsylvania in 



^Ib' HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

ISOS. Is a farmer, and he and his sons own nearly two sec- 
tions in the township. 

Frank and Gottlieb Miille came to this country from Ger- 
many and located in Silver C'reek in hSiiS. Frank now owns. 
1,0(10 acres of well im})roved land. Has eight sons and 
daughters, four of whom are married. He pays the most 
taxes of any man in Silver Creek. Gottlieb owns about a 
section of land, well improved. Has eleven children, two of 
them married. 

P. Dempsey, the first settler of Silver Creek township, 
was born in County Kiildare, Ireland, 75 years ago. He 
came to New York in 184S, and afterwards removed to Penn- 
sylvania, and from there to Dixon county, arriving May 7th^ 
1S57. Has lived since 1S(50 in Silver Creek, where he has 
800 acres of hue, improved land. Is worth about |80,00(L 
Has had ten children, all of whom, except two. are living. 
Mr. Dempsey has been prominent in public affairs, and was. 
supervisor for Silver Creek several years. 

Mark liunyan located in Silver Creek in 1S7(>. He is a 
farmer, has half a section of land, good buildings and im- 
provements and is out of debt. His wife died about a year 
ago. Never had county or town office and would never 
accept any. 

Herman and Henry Wendte. brothers, came in 1S75 from 
Germany and brought considera!)le money with them. Her- 
man has three-fourths of a section, and Henry half a section 
of excellent land. Both married and have large families. 

John Manuion came in 1S70 from Ireland. He is the 
largest cattle feeder in Silver Creek. Has over a section of 
land, well improved, good buildings, etc. Has a wife and 
six children. 

J. L. Muriin came from Hlinois in 1SS2, and has 200 acres 
in fine condition. One of the best farmers in Silver Creek. 
Has a wife and eight children, two of them married. Worth 
about |S,000 and out of debt. 

David Armstrong located in Silvei- Creek in 1885. Has 
three quarters of a section of land. Is well fixed and is a 
good farmer. Has the only brick house in the township. 
Has ten children living, eight sons an<l two daughters. 

C. G. Wilson lives on the "Kus. Wilbur farm," which he 




(). M. CHILDS. 

I See page 219.J 



HLSTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 319 

bought ill ISHO. Was the hrst supervisor of Silver Creek 
under tovvnshi}) orgaiiizatioii. 

Thomas McClary came here in 1870 and bought and now 
occupies a farm of 200 acres. Has eight sons and daughters, 
all grown up, and all married but one. 

E. L. Heidy came in 1S74 from Illinois. His farm has 200 
acres, with good improvements. He is out of debt and is 
worth $5,000. Has a small family. 

Fred Stark arrived from Clerinany in 1S()9, took a home- 
stead and added to it until he now has a farm of 4S0 acres. 
Good buildings, orchard, grove, etc. Has a wife and thirteen 
children. 

William Stark came from (lermany and took a home- 
stead in 1S75. Has a wife and eight children. Is comfort- 
ably Hxed and has located his three sons on farms near him. 
Joe Mendenhall came from Indiana in 1875, located on 1()0 
acres of land and occupies it at the present time. A thrifty 
and substantial farmer. He has a wife, six girls and a boy. 
Ernst Stettin, from (lernian}-. First located in Daily, 
then removed to Silver Creek in 1870 and has lived there 
since. Has a farm of 240 acres. 

U. H.Hannant settled in Silver Creek twenty-live or thirty 
years ago and was a successful farmer. He sold his place 
about twelve years ago to (leo. iiamprecht. who has since re- 
sided there. 

Dayton Ward was superintendent of schools a few years 
ago. He has a farm of IGO acres. 

E. H. Jones, for several years sherilf of the county, settled 
in Silver Creek in 1871 with his parents and brothers and en- 
gaged in farming. He was elected sheritt" and served with 
great success in that office for three terms commencing Jan- 
uary 1st, 1878. He was highly esteemed as a citizen and 
justly popular as an officer. He died at Ponca in 1890. His 
family remain in Silver Creek. 

Squire Hewett, now living in Ponca city, formerly lived 
on a large farm which he had in Silver Creek. 

A. Drager was a successful Silver Creek farmer, removing 
to Ponca several years ago. 

0. M. Childs. lH)rn in 1884 in Pennsylvania, was married 
at Erie Dec. 4. 'lio. to Mrs. Sarah Peabody of Crawford 
county, that state. Enlisted Aug. 8, '62, for 9 months in Co. 



220 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

A, lolst Ke^'t.. Pti. VoL, and was wouikUmI Dec. "()"J, in the 
Fredericksburg light. Was in the government construction 
corps one year. Re-enlisted in 1S(U in Co. T. Sth Reg't, Pa. 
Cav., for one year. Was wounded in front of Petei*sburg and 
discharged on account of it, Jnly 18, 'fi5. Was in nine hard 
fought battles. Moved to Nebraska in 1S70. and located in 
Silver Creek, where he and family now reside. Has a farm 
of l()(l acres, well improved and fenced, with a good house, 
grove, etc. He and his wife have two daughters, who reside 
with them, and one son. J. A. Childs, married, and living a 
mile west on a 1 'id-acre farm of his own. Mr. Childs has 
also two daughters in Pennsylvania. 

'Fhere ai-e many other farmers in Sil\er Creek of 
whom no special mention is made for the want of inforuia- 
tion concerning them. 

The following are the names of some: 

George Foulks. K. N. Crandall, L. Coleman, G. Dudley, 
Roy Dudley, H. S. Cummings. Charles Crofoot, John Williur, 
H. Lowe, J. Kendall, K. Andrews, Chub Hines, C. E. Merritt, 
Fred Weidenfeldt, Frank Engle, Stephen Gasser, W. S. 
Russell, etc. 



DAILY TOWNSHIP 

Has thirty-six square mih\s of tine farming land. It has 
Hooker t()wnshi[) on the noi'th. Silver (h-eek on the east, 
Clark on tlu^ south and the county line on the west. Daily 
has no \illages; one })ostot1ice. Daily Branch, six school- 
houses, and one chnrch. the Tara Hill church (Catholic i, 
built about twelve years ago. 

Tn this township there were very few settlei's until 1S70. 
in which yc^ii- a large number came, mostly from (ial<Mia, 
Illinois. As is the general rule in Dixon county, the people 
who have homes in Daily are enterprising and [)rosperous. 

M. Conway came to Daily township in the spring of IS?)), 
from Clayton county, Iowa, with a small amount of money, 
and took a homestead of 1()() acres. He now has half a sec- 
tion, with good buildings and imin'oveuients. By his energy 
and good numagement in fai'ining and other business he is 
now am[)ly aide and has no debts or liabilities. Has a wife 
and nine children, all living at home. Has had town offices 
frequently and was elected supervisor in ISD], and held that 



HISTORY OV DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 221 

office until the re-organizatiou of the hoard in Octoher. 1S95. 
His portrait with those of the other members of the hoard 
is seen on another page. 

J. H. Addison came in 1S7() and took a homestead, which 
he still occupies. He now has one-half a section, well im- 
proved, and is in good pecuniary circumstances. He was 
county superintendent of schools one term, and a member of 
the board of supervisors four years. 

in 1870, C. W. Sherman came from New York, poor, took 
a homestead, was energetic, and has now a valuable farm of 
■J4(> acres, and is in excellent hnancial condition. He is one 
of Dixon county's very best men. His wife and one son 
comprise his family. He was the hrst supervisor of Daily, 
after township organization was adopted, and was county 
commissioner several years previously. 

Ben. Mcduirk came in 1S71 from Ualena, 111., hard up. 
and took a homestead, and now has one section all in tirst- 
class shape. 

Thomas 1. Thomas came in 1S7() or 1S71 from (lalena. 
111. Has at least a section of land, and is considered the 
richest man in town and worth $25,0(10 or more. Has a 
large family, all living at home, 

Pat Bennett located in Daily in 1S70. His farm of 4!S0 
acres has tine improvements and the best house in town, and 
his circumstances are in every way prosperous. He has a 
wife and seven children, A year ago, Mr. Bennett moved to 
New Castle and engaged in the business of buying grain. 

Edward McGrath, another good farmer and stock raiser 
of Daily, came from Galena. HI., in 1S70. Has a wife and 
seven sons and daughters, all grown u}) and living near him. 

Petei- McClusky about 1S70 took a homestead, and now 
has 'iSO acres, together with cattle, horses, etc., and is out of 
debt. 

John O'Clrady about 1S70 came from Galena. TIL, and took 
a homestead of 1()0 acres. He has now 240 acres, with build- 
ings and improvements 0. K. Has a large family of sons 
and daughters, njostly grown up. 

Sol Gunimings came about three years ago from New 
('astle and bought a quarter section. Is a successful farmer. 
Has a wife and several children. 

Pat Mciiuirk. son of Ben McGuirk. has two good farms in 



222 HISTORY OF DIX(JN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Daily and aiiotlier in Clark, and iy successfnl in Inisiness and 
popular with a host of friends. 

John McGrath. son of Edward McClrath, is another j^ood 
farmer in Daily. 

Ed. Wilkinson located in Daily about 1() years ago. He 
has a well improved lUO-acre farm and is well off. 

W. W. Atkinson came at an early day and bought 820 
acres. Died about two years ago. His wife was post- 
mistress at Daily postoffice for eighteen years. No children. 
Mr. Atkinson was a county commissioner for several terms 
and an excellent, popular and useful citizen. 

Wm. Mallory came in 1S78, and took a homestead where 
he still lives. He and his family are in comfortable circum- 
stances. 

Mike Donahue took a homestead in 1S7(I, and now has a 
tine farm of 52(1 acres well improved. Has a wife and eight 
children living. 

Pat Morris and John McManus both came about the same 
time, 1S7(>, took homesteads and lived there till a year ago 
when they removed to Ponca. Both are comfortably off. 

James Hillen, 1S70, farmer. 2S0 acres. Good improve- 
ments. Large family. 

Michael Dougherty, from Galena, HI., in 1S7(). Owns 320 
acres and is out of debt. 

Wm. Cady located in Daily about twelve years ago. Has 
160 acres nicely cultivated and improved. 

John H. Powers came from Galena,, 111., in 1S70. and has 
about 500 acres. He was poor when he came, but energy 
and industry have brought success and good fortune. 

Josiah Hoover took a homestead in 1S70, and was there 
until his death in ISUI. His family yet live there. 

Brian Mauley took a homestead in 1S70 and yet lives on 
it. Has a large family, all at home. 

Herman Baker, an old settler, has a good farm aud a 
blacksmith sho}). ;ind is well off. 

Peter Askin came here about fourteen years ago and 
bought a good farm of 1()0 acres, well improved, where he 
and his family now live. 

H. H. Gi'osvenor is an old settler and successful farmer. 

James Ward, a worth v citizen of Dailv. died several 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 233 

years ago. He had a good farm on which his wife now re- 
sides. 

Ill addition to the above there are numerous other citizens 
of Daily concerning whom we are unable to obtain infor- 
mation as to wiien they came, their farms, etc. 

Among them are: David Monfort, Dan McDonald, 
Charles Martin, Phil Dougherty Jr., Mike Dougherty, Bait 
Addison, — Taylor, etc., most of whom are successful stock 
growers or farmers. 



HOOKER TOWNSHIP 

Is situated in the northwest corner of the county. It ad- 
joins Ionia and New Castle on the east. Daily on the south. 
Cedar county on the west, and the Missouri river bounds it 
on the north. It contains about hfty square miles. Hooker 
has now no village, and though the ancient villages of Concord- 
Dixon-North-Bend were once prominent on the map of the 
town, they have not been in existence for nearly thirty-five 
years. The face of the country in Hooker is somewhat 
rough, but the soil is excellent and along the river timber is 
abundant. Stock raising was for many years a leading en- 
terprise, ))ut as the population increased, the stock business 
has given place to general farming. 

A few of those who have been prominent as citizens or 
early settlers of Hooker are the following: 

A. N. Gran and S. N. Gran and their father Nels H. Gran 
came from Norway. A. N. Gran in '()S, and S. N. Gran and 
their father in '70. and located on homesteads in Hooker in 
1871. A. N. Gran and his brother now occupy the same 
claims first taken by them; their father lived on his until his 
death in 1889. Both the brothers are successful and enterpris- 
ing men and have large farms which are well improved and 
prohtably worked. A. N. has 250 and S. N. 240 acres. The 
former has a wife and four children living and the latter has 
a wife but no children. Both are prominent in township 
affairs, and A. N. Gran has been Hooker's member of the 
board of supervisors several years, his term ending in Octo- 
ber, 1895, on the reorganization under the new law. His 
portrait will be seen with the rest of the board on another 
page. 



i24 HI8T(JKY OF DIXQN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

John Maskell. an excellent citizen and farmer, settled in 
Hooker in 1S5(), and resided there nntil he removed to Ver- 
million, S. D., in 1S1)4. Dnring his long residence in that 
township he has been snccessfnl in bnsiness and has seen the 
hardships of frontier life give place to the comforts and in- 
dependence of the i)resent. His farm is now ()ccn])ied by his 
son Andrew Maskell. 

H. Weidenfeldt. fi-oni Wisconsin in lS7n. Homesteaded 
1()(> iicres and still ()ccni)ies it. In addition to cnltivating 
and improving his farm, he has been largely engaged in the 
stock business. His family consists of himself, wife and 
twelve sons and daughters. 

Mr. McCleary settled at an early day where iiime (iroN'e 
[)()stoffice now is. Moved away about twelve years ago. 

H. Tarsony took a homestead in Hooker over tvventy-tive 
years ago. Now has a])out a section of hind and tine im- 
provements. Has been mainly engaged in stock raising. 

0. K. Anderson, an early settler was successfully engaged 
in farming and stock raising until five years ago. since 
which time he had been in the western part of the state. 
His family still occu}»y the farm in Hooker. Has four sons 
and two daughters. 

Mons Nelson, fai'inei- and stock raiser since he located 
there in the fall of \^-)i') up to ISSO. when the Missouri river 
cut across North Bend and swept out his farm. In ISSO he 
removed to South Dakota, and now lives in (layville, in that 
state. 

dohn ('onnery became a resident in 1S()S. Has now a sec- 
tion of land profitably farmed. 

Dexter Rice. (See Ionia township), 

Charles Brookey Wws ntnir the Missoui-i riNcr. and is well 
fixed. He came there at an early day with his father, John 
Brookey, who was one of the county commissioners in isij*). 

James G. Bailey and sons came to Hooker more than 
twenty-five years ago. He was a prominent and influential 
citizen up to his death foui- years ago. His sons. dohn. 
William, James and S. 1). Bailey, are successful men in busi- 
ness and all reside in Hooker, excei)t James, who li\('s on his 
farm in New Castle townshi]). 

Nels Johnson and his sons, Nels C.Johnson, Casper John- 
son and Christ Nelson, are prosperous farmers and own val- 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 235 

liable liiiKls. They came to Daily town.ship from Florence, 
Nebraska, in 1S71, and afterwards removed to Hooker and 
]>()norht the farm of McC-leary at Lime drove, where Nelson 
is postmaster and has a general store. 



NEW (CASTLE TOWNSHIP. 

The face of the country in New Castle township is much 
like that in the towns adjoining. Hills, fertile to their tops, 
fertile valleys and numerous unfailing streams, furnish a 
farming and stock growing region that can hardly be sur- 
passed. The township is well settled up. Many of the 
citizens are wealthy, and nearly all are in independent cir- 
cumstances. 

The citizens never had a market near at hand until the 
extension of the C., St. P., M. & 0. K. R. from Ponca to New 
Castle in 1893. When that extension was made, the hitherto 
dormant hamlet of New Castle developed rapidly, as related 
in a former chapter, into a brisk railroad town, (lustavus 
Smith, the leading spirit of that locality up to the time of 
his death, (July 27, ISSO,) would have been glad to have lived 
to see such growth and advancement iu the place he founded 
and named years before. 

One of the first settlers in what is known as New Castle 
township, was William Ptister, who came from Harden county, 
Iowa, in 1S5S. He was a man possessed of good judgment and 
courage, and came with the expectation of finding a wild and 
unsettled country with Indians for neighbors. He was not 
greatly mistaken in his forecast of the future. The country 
was indeed wild when he came, white settlers were miles 
away, and for years his most frequent visitors were the 
rovhig Indians passing through that part of the country on 
their road between the Omaha and Santee agencies. He took 
a claim a few miles from wdiere NewC^astle village is, and cul- 
tivated and improved it from year to year. l)uilt a farm house, 
barns and fences, started a grove and orchard, raised wheat 
and corn, cattle and hogs, and in due time was rewarded 
with plenty. For years after he located there, he could look 
lu every direction and see no house or cultivated fields ex- 
cept his own. It was a solitary life, yet with his constant 
labor in improving and cultivating, his time was occupied, 
and life, though on the remote frontier, was pleasant. The 



■^^«i HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

Indians who often passed, became acquainted and friend- 
ly, be could talk with them, and they showed no disposition 
to plunder or harm him. Sixteen years ago when the great 
prairie fire swept over that part of the county, he lost house, 
fences, stacks and nearly everything on his fanii that would 
burn. In time he recovered from that visitation. He died 
in May, 1H1)5, after an industrious life of ()') years, (hi the 
same place where he hi-st located, he lived u}* to the time of his. 
death. He left a valuable farm of 320 acres, good 1)uildings. 
and a large amount of stock. His wife survives him and now 
resides on the farm. 

New Castle village, incorporated May ir>. 1S1);1 lias a class. 
of citizens Mdiose energy and enterprise is seen in the con- 
tinued improvement of the place. 

Among the most i»rominent of the citizens is Tliomas 
Hoy, to whose efforts, as described in chapter XII, the exten- 
sion of the railroad to that place is mainly due. Mr. Hoy 
came when young to New Castle from Pittsburg. Pa., in the 
spring of 1S72. Heattended school, deveh>ped business habits, 
and finally taught school three terms. In 1S7S, he engaged 
in the mercantile business and has continued it all the time, 
substantially, since then. In 1S80, was appointed postmaster 
which position he still tills. In 1S82 his store and goods 
burned, there being a total loss, and soon after he rebuilt. 
He was a member of the board of supervisoi-s in '92 and 'Ij:}. 
and since the incorpoi-ation of New Castle has had a leading 
and progressive part in the official life of that place. His 
mercantile business is large, and after so many years in it. 
he has the acquaintance and confidence of a great share of 
the people in that part of the county. He was married in 
1SS4 to Ellen McAndrews. and has five children, four girls 
and one boy. 

W. P. Logan, another i)rominent young business man of 
New Castle, the cashici- of the Farmers State Bank of that 
place, has already been noticed in the part devoted to 
Poncacity, where he formei-ly lived. His portrait is seen in 
this chapter. 

E. E. Carder, the depot agent, came to New Castle in Sep- 
tember, l.Sl):i. He is married and has two children. Is 
an efficient and popular railroad man. 

John (/oleman came from Sioux City in ls77. farmed three 




W. p. LOGAN. 

(See pages 226 and 183.) 



a;iU HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Dr. W. R. Talboy located here in '\)>\ and Dr. C. 1.. Roland 
in the spring of '95. Both are experienced physicians and 
surgeons. 

H. W. Hopkins, stock buyer, came in H)8. 

Pat Bennett commenced buying grain here a year or nioi-e 
ago, and J. B. Flack for Peavey & Company last summer. 

Suecker (t Anderson, contractors and Iniilders; Fred 
Calvert, market; Smith (t Davis, blacksmiths; Frank Pletsch 
and Dougherty A: Bennett, billiard halls; have been in New 
(■astle from two to three years. 

The school house at New Castle was recently built by 
Suecker & Anderson at a cost of about $-l:,()(HK It is a tine 
])uilding and a credit to the town. 

New Castle has a large Catholic church, built many years 
ago, and of which Father O'Toole was pastor for about 
tw^elve years. He removed to (itrand Island three years ago 
and Father Waldron has since been in charge. 

The Congregational society at New Castle has also a tine 
church, of which Rev. John Roberts is pastor. 

A. S. Palmer came from Floyd county, Iowa, in IS().S. 
Was married in 1S72 to Marcelia L. Rice, daughter of Dexter 
Rice. Was, as mentioned on page 141, representative two 
terms, being the only representative ever re-elected in the 
county. He was also twice elected superintendent of schools. 
He has 200 acres, well improved, etc. He has four daughters, 
one of whom was married in June last to J. V. Pierson of 
Ponca. 

John Malone, one of the pioneei's (»f the county, is a well 
to do farmer of New ('astle. He has a lai-ge farm pleasantly 
located on the road between New Castle and Ponca. 

Alexander Cuiry, living near Malone's place, is also a 
farmer in excellent pecuniary circumstances. 

Andy O'Coinier is another old timer; came from New 
Orleans with his brothers in 1S5(), and farmed in the county 
ever since. 

(lottleib Kalin. came in 1S7(I. has a large farm anil like 
most of the New Castle farmers is well off. 

Henry Richards, from Wisconsin in iSfU). Has 820 acres 
and is in Hne circumstances and a lea(h"ng citizen of the 
townshij). He was supervisor in 'SS and 'S*,). 

Thomas and W. A. O'Toole wei-e from Pennsvlvania in 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 3:51 

ISSO. Each has a good farm of about 24(1 acres. 'VUey have 

families. 

Wm. Sullivan, an early settler ami has !()(> acres well 

improved. Is married. 

Owen Fimiigaii, 1S7(I. married, and is a farmer vs^ith 1(')0 

acres. 

There are other notable citizens and business men in 
Newcastle village, and many other farmers in the township, 
wdio on account of lack of information we are unable to 
mention. 

CLARK TOWNSHIP. 

Is tliinly settled and has much uncultivated land. The 
land is rolling, the soil is excellent and water is good and 
abundant. It has no timber except the groves that have 
been planted. There are four school districts in town. The 
population is about 325, mostly American born. Clark town- 
ship is six miles square and is directly south of and adjoins 
Dailv and has Cedar county on the west. 

Captain Burdick was the first to settle in this township. 
He came here twenty-three years ago as agent for the Bos- 
ton Land Co., which owned 45,000 acres in Dixon and Cedar 
counties, and a large tract of it was in this township. Cap- 
tain Burdick purchased IfiO acres of it for himself, built a 
house and made many improvements, and on his own land 
as well as that of the Land Company planted numerous large 
groves, several hundred acres in all. Captain Burdick sold 
his farm a])out ttfteen years ago to A. '1. Sparks and moved 
to Kansas. 

A. J. Sparks has lived on the Burdick place since he 
bought it fifteen years ago. Among the many improvements 
and attractions on this farm may be mentioned the large 
groves and the orchard of apple and cherry trees. 

-lolin Donovan is the oldest settler now living in the 
townshii). He has been here nineteen years. He has three 
fourths of a section of land and is a enterprising farmer. 

A. Coleman came here from Jones county, Iowa, fifteen 
years ago. Has a (luarter section on which is the largest 
grove in the county. He has a large family, ten sons and 
daughters. 



^32 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Perry Dempster was elected supervisor of Clark township 
a year ago and serv^ed until January 1st, 1896. He removed 
to the township in March. 1892, from Crawford county, 
Iowa, where he was census enumerator for that county in 
189(1. He has a half section of land, of which 190 acres 
are under cultivation, hue house, barn, groves and other 
improvements. His family consists of himself, wife and 
seven children, (four sons a>nd three daughters,) all of 
whom are in Nebraska, excepting one daughter, who lives in 
Shelby county. Iowa. 

J. Sullivan came here twelve years ago from Indiana. 
Has a farm of half a section, and buildings, grove, orchard, 
etc. Last winter he removed to Dixon village. His family 
consists of himself, wife and five sons and daughters. He 
was supervisor for Clark two or three terms and up to 
January, 1895. 

0. C. and Henry Tuttle, farmers, have half a section, 
fairly improved. Came from Iowa fourteen years ago. 

J. D, Reising, from Minnesota, fourteen years ago, has a 
farm of 320 acres, improved and well farmed. 

W. H. Gibson came here from California al)Out fourteen 
years ago and bought 160 acres of land. He and his family 
now live in Dixon village. 

A. D. Morgan and J. L. Schouten are also well-to-do 
farmers, concerning whom we have been unable to obtain 
information, except their names. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 233 



CHAPTER XVllI. 

Otter Creek, Galena Springbank and Emerson Townships, 
otter creek township, 

Bounded on the north by Ponca township, east by county 
line between Dixon and Dakota counties, south by Emerson 
and west by Galena and Springbank. It is nine miles north 
and south, and three miles east and west. 

Otter Creek is billy in the main, but has some tine bottom 
land. It has abundant cold, clear water in the creeks, as 
also in wells from ten to twenty feet below the surface. 
There is a small amount of timber along the streams, and 
nearly every farm has a tine grove. The soil is good even to 
the top of the hills. 

The fertile South Creek valley passes across the north- 
western part of the township, and settlement was there made 
in the early days of the county. Prominent among the first 
settlers may be mentioned P. J. Winston, the Bigleys and 
Maurice Scollard, all of whom are dead. Maurice Scollard 
was one of the county commissioners in lS()0-'61-'62-'63. 
Of his nephews, John Scollard still resides there, and 
Patrick Scollard died several months ago. In the north- 
western part of the township is the South Creek Catholic 
church, built in the spring of 1875. 

Otter Creek has one village, Waterbiiry, a station on the 
Short Line railroad, which passes through the township. 

The townsite of Waterbury. about eighty acres, was on 
May 29, KSS9, donated to the Pacific .Townsite Company, by 
George Herrick. The location is in a beautiful valley, twenty 
miles from Sioux City, twelve miles west of Jackson, seven 
and one-half miles from Allen, and eight miles south of 
Ponca. 

The village is still small, containing only about forty 
buildings and 125 inhabitants, but it is a No. 1 market for 
grain, produce and live stock. It has a railroad depot, two 



284 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

grain warehouses, two coal yards, three general stores, a, 
harness shop, blacksmith shop, shoe shop, etc. 

The leading business men are J. F. Hall, insurance,. 
V. T. Forney (who built the first store here in July, 1890) 
and L, H. Whitman, men'handise; H. Sayre, postmaster; C. R. 
Noe, lumber dealer, and P. S. Beekley, station agent and 
grain buyer. 

The Waterbury Creamery company completed this season 
a large creamery at the cost of $4,000. An M. E. church 
costing $1,200 was also built this year, (1S95). Waterbury is 
especially favored a.s to water, which from the "big spring"" 
(so called) near the railroad depot, ever Hows a copious, 
stream, pure and cold, which winter cannot freeze nor sum- 
mer warm. 

Those who have been or are now among the prominent 
citizens in Otter Creek, are the following: 

George Herrick. formerly of Racine. Wisconsin, and after- 
wards of Yankton, Dakota, removed from the latter city in 
August, 1.S74 to where he now lives adjoining the townsite 
of Waterbury. There he has S80 acres of land, admirably 
improved and a residence not surpassed in the county. 

C. C. Cleveland, from Wisconsin about 1S75 located 
where he now lives. Has half a section, good impro\enients. 
and the best orchard in the township. His apples took the 
first premium at the Sioux City corn palace fair in 1S92. 

Henry and John Harney, are prosperous farmers, living 
near the South Creek church. 

James Harding came in ISSl from Dakota county, owns 
two large farms. 

James H. Cole came in ISH2, had 200 acres. Moved to 
Ponca in 1S94. 

H. J. Stinger came in Octolier. bSSO. from Webster county. 
Iowa. Taught school tliree years and then bought a farm. 
He now has 120 acres, well improved by grove, orchard, fences, 
buildings, etc. Has a wife and four chihh'en. Has been 
siipei'visor for Otter Creek for three years, up to the re-oi"- 
ganization in 1895. 

M. Burgett, old settler, and moved in 1882 to a farm three 
miles south of Ponca. 

J. E. Chase came from Jasper county, Iowa, in 188^] and 
has 200 acres where he now resides. 




PATRICK SCOLLARD AND HIS SISTER, MRS. BLAKE. 

(.See page 257.) 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



337 



Jacob Fegley located in Otter Creek in 1881 and in 1895 
moved to Allen. Has a large family of grown up sons and 
daughters, all married and mostly living in the county. 

C. M. Crowell, 1866, 160 acres, was county commissioner 
one term. Lately removed to Central City, Nebraska. 

John Delaney, 1870, bought and settled on the 1()0 acTes 
where he now is. Large family, mostly living in his vicinity. 
Has a magnihcent grove of 80 acres. 

Pat Cavanaugh, 1871. Has 420 acres, orchard, grove, etc. 
John R. Hoopingarner has been here fourteen years, and 
has a tine farm of 160 acres. 

Patrick Scollard, one of the wealthy and prominent 
citizens of the county, died at his home in Otter Creek town- 
ship. May 1, 1895. Mr. Scollard was born in Ireland, and at an 
early age crossed the ocean to this country. He was one of 
the pioneers of Dixon county, coming here in 1856 with his 
brother and his uncle Maurice Scollard, who, during several 
of the first years of the county, was one of the commis- 
sioners. In 1862 the subject of this sketch enlisted in Co. I 
of the 2nd Nebraska cavalry, and was honorably discharged 
after a service of thirteen months. During his youthful ex- 
perience as a pioneer, he and his mother and sister traveled 
across the plains with ox teams to Montana. While there, 
he was in the business of hauling freight to Fort Benton. 
On such trips he would be on the road hve days without see- 
ing a white person or white settlement. During those lonely 
trips he carried his provisions with him and slept m his 
wagon bed at night. He followed this hard life five years. 
Afterwards he returned to Dixon county and became a 
farmer. He was shrewd and careful and was generally suc- 
cessful in all business matters. He was married in January, 
1875, to Isabella Tracy, from Holly, New York. They have 
eleven children living, seven boys and four girls, the young- 
est two of whom, twins, were born seven months after his 
death. His death was very sudden. In the morning at 
about 8 o'clock he was busy at work in the field, riding a 
corn planter, and apparently in good health. Suddenly he 
was prostrated by paralysis, and was brought to the house, 
where he died at^ 1 o'clock, hve hours after he was attacked. 
At the time of his death he left 440 acres, most of it fenced 
and cultivated, tine buildings, groves, orchard, etc., together 



2-SS HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

with cattle and horses and other property there and elsewhere. 
Mrs. ScoUard and the family now^ reside on the pleasant 
farm which his energy provided for them. His portrait is 
seen in this chapter. 

H. P. Williams, a native of Iowa, came to Dixon county 
in ISSI and l)ought a fai'ni in Otter Creek of 120 acres, which 
he has since made valuable by improvements. In 1894 he 
was appointed superintendent of Dixon county's poor farm 
for a year, and gave entire satisfaction. Mr. Williams was 
all ov^er Nebraska while a soldier of Uncle Sam during the 
war. 

Fred Hall came to Otter Creek with his father, Geo. W. 
Hall. 24 years ago from Iowa. Each took homesteads of 1()(^ 
acres. Geo. W. Hall died in 1888, leaving one son and seven 
daughters, all of whom but one reside in that neighborhood. 
Among the many other good farmers of Otter Creek, we 
will mention the following- 
John Bones, Fred liollmier, M. Benton, Pat Bergen, 
Henry Marron, David Curry, Thomas Casey, J. B. Fleming, 
C. H.'and H. A. Harper, j". C. Harrington," J. E. McCuire, 
Michael Mullaly, John O'Hara, L. P. Harper (now lives in 
Allen) and Samuel Roberts. 



GALENA TOWNSHIP. 

Is bounded on the north by Silver Creek, east by Otter 
Creek, south by Springbank, and west by Clark. 

The township has the same kind of jn-odnctive land which 
is general throughout the county and is well watered by 
creeks and springs. There are no more beautiful valleys than 
those along South Creek. Dailey and their tributaries, and 
no better water powers in the country for mills and machin- 
ery than are afforded by those streams. The land in the val- 
leys is neai'ly level. I)ack of which are low hills and rolling 
prairie. Throughout the township are excellent farms, good 
residences, orchards and groves, some of the latter along the 
creeks being of natural growth. The township lias one vil- 
lage, Martinsburg, the commencement and growth of which 
has been traced in former chapters. 

The founder of Martinsl)urg. Jonatlian Martin, still re- 
sides there. He came to Dixon county in 18(37 from Peoria, 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 289 

Illinois. He was bom at Fall River, Mass., in 1S22. Came 
west as far as Chicago in 1S89. when that place was a frog 
|)on(l, and land there conld be bought for $3 an acre. He 
stopped there a nnmber of years, worked at carpenter work 
and became a contractor and builder. Afterwards went to 
Peoria and was engaged in the distillery Imsiness, which in 
due time became extensive and profitable, and employed 
forty men for several years. In '66 he was assessed as worth 
$70,000 but was soon after defrauded of a large amount, and 
selling out he removed to Dixon county, saving al)out $20,000 
with which to commence life anew. His first enterprise here 
was to build a mill two miles east of Ponca. In 72 he 
started Martinsburg, and built a grist mill and opened a 
store, which latter he still continues, and was postmaster 
several years. He was one of the county commissioners 
during 75. 76 and 77. Mr. M. was married in 1S4S to 
Amanda Douglass of Onondaga county. New York. They 
have had hve children, three of whom, daughters, are living 
and married. Mr. Martin is a citizen whose business energy 
in the past has been valuable to that locality, and he is 
rewarded l)y the general respect of the citizens. 

Another prominent citizen of Galena township was P. 
(t. Wright, who died in isyi at his residence near Martins- 
burg, aged 73 years. Mr. Wright came from Iowa and had 
been a resident of Galena about fourteen years. During that 
time he was county commissioner several years and repre- 
sented the county in the legislature one term. He was a just 
and reliable man and clearly understood his duties as an offi- 
cer of the county. 

John E. Schultz, one of Martinsburg's popular merchants, 
came from Wisconsin in 79, does a large business. 

Ben and Burt McClary, sons of Thomas McClary of Silver 
Creek, have had a general store in Martinsburg since '88. 

John Duren owns and runs the Martinsburg grist mill- 
He came from Wisconsin in '74. His mill is doing a large 
business and furnishes excellent tiour. 

Harry Filley, a soldier during the war, came in 1866 from 
Alamakee county. Iowa, and has in Galena a large farm on 
which he lived until a few years ago. He has since been 
landlord of the Martinsburg Hotel. In list of pioneers 
which is published in one of the first chapters, Mr. Filley's 



240 HISTORY 0¥ DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

name is erroneously placed among those who came here 
between the spring of '56 and the fall of '58. 

Fred Jeffrey is Martinsburg's postmaster and has been 
since 18Si). 

Martinsburg has two churches, viz: The Congregational, 
Rev. Nichols, and the Lutheran, Rev. Hansen. Both of 
the church buildings are good and are largely attended. 
In the village is a well built, well arranged school house with 
two teachers and about Hfty scholars. 

Martin and William Lockwood came here from Waukon,. 
Iowa in 70. Martin hrst lived in Springbank township 
and in '74 moved to Martinsburg and purchased an interest 
in the town site and mill. Afterwards was in the drug busi- 
ness at Ponca and in 'S9 went to South Sioux City where 
he now is. Wm. Lockwood first settled and still resides on 
a farm in Galena. Martin Lockwood Jr., a son of Wm. Lock- 
wood, is also a good farmer of Calena township. 

Wm. White came al)out '70 from Indiana and has a good 
farm near Martinsburg of half a section, where he and his 
family reside. 

Matt Engle and John Engle are successful (lalena farmers 
who came in 75. They have about 200 acres each. 

Gottleib Keoppie has been here many years and has a. 
large farm. 

William Gillan whom we have mentioned as one of the 
pioneers, has a good farm of 200 acres near Martinsburg^ 
where he and his family live. 

Jacob and Sol Bombird live on a farm of 2S0 acres a short 
distance from Martinsburg. 

Hugh Sweeney came from Galena, Hlinois. in 70 and 
has a farm of 200 acres. 

David Murphy, one of Galena's most thorough farmers^ 
was born in Ireland, came to New York in '5G; to Chicago 
in '59 and to Dixon county in 'f)6. He has 480 acres in South 
Creek valley where he resides. 

Frank and John Jourdan, born in England came to 
Galena about thirty years ago. Both took homesteads which 
they made into valuable farms. Frank Jourdan died August 
1, 1894, leaving a wife and one daughter. He owned at the 
time of his death 811 acres of land all in a line state of im- 
provement. John Jourdan still resides on the farm he first 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 241 

occupied and is well off. He has a wife and one son. 

James Jeffrey located in Galena in '67 and died in '1)4. 
Left a large family. 

Charles F. Schram, settled here many years ago and 
with his family lives on a good farm of half a section. 

Lyman Wright, son of P. G. Wright, lives about three 
miles from Martinsburg where he has 200 acres. 

Bernard Cavanagh, once a prominent citizen of Galena 
now lives in Allen. The large farm in Galena of several 
hundred acres to which he devoted many years of improve- 
ment he still owns. 

D. Hurley, a prominent citizen of the county, was born 
in Ireland, and at an early age came with his parents to 
Watertown, Wisconsin, and in LS(>6 to Galena township. He 
was treasurer of the county from January, LS76. to January, 
1882, six years, and afterwards represented Galena township 
on the board of supervisors one term. Mr. Hurley has a very 
valuable farm of 200 acres about a mile northeast of Martins- 
burg. on which he and his family reside. 

Wm. Donlin, the first born in the county, as heretofore 
mentioned, now lives near Martinsburg and on the farm 
where that event took place. He has 240 acres, 

Daniel Crowley, from Watertown, Wis., settled here in 
1880. He has a good farm of 800 acres and is one of the 
leading citizens of the township. He was supervisor from 
January, '94, to January, '96. 

Nick Wallenstein came in 1S73 from Germany, where he 
was a soldier. Has 570 acres of valuable land, a tine house 
costing $1,300, and other good improvements, among which 
is a mammoth barn, 5Sx60 feet. He is one of the most suc- 
cessful farmers in the county. 

In addition to the foregoing are B. Dunlavey who came 
in 79 or '80; Hiram Wright, 7(r, Wm. Witham, '65; Wm. 
Krause and his sons. Gottleib, Henry and William. Jr., '75, 
and Joseph Prue, '68; all of whom have farms of from 160 
to 320 acres. 

The farms above referred to are generally all well im- 
proved and desirable for prohtable farming, and are pleasant 
homes for families. As a general thing also, the residents 
are in good circumstances and have enjoyable surroundings. 



I 



'M2 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

SPRTNGBANK TOWNSHIP, 

Is six miles square and is between Galena on the north anti 
Wakefield on the south, and has Emerson and Otter Creek 
on the east and Concord on the west. The Pacific Short 
Line R. R. passes through the north half of the township. 
The business center of Springbank in Allen. 

There are no other villages in the township. About three 
miles due east of Allen and near the head of Elk Creek, is a 
small settlement where is the old Springbank post office, a. 
school house, church. (Friends,) and a few dwellings. A few 
miles south of this settlement is another church of the same 
kind, (the South Valley church.) 

Two large streams. South Creek and Elk Creek, together 
with a small branch of the North Logan rise in this tf)wn- 
ship. These streams, with numerous smaller tributaries 
provide water in abundance. 

Like most of the farmers of Dixon county, the residents 
of Springbank have devoted much time and energy to im- 
proving their farms and surroundings. (lood dwellings, 
houses and barns, large groves and orchards, good fences and 
nicely arranged and culti\'ated fields are almost invariably 
seen. 

It was not until 1S(»*), that this township could boast of 
more than a Ijandful of settlers. Some had come in the 
earliest days of the county l)ut from fear of Indians or dis- 
taste for the lonely lives they had to lead, remained but a 
short time. Andy O'(.'onner and his brothers, James and 
John, are said to have been the first settlers. They took 
claims there in '56 or '57. two or three miles south of the 
Cavanagh farm in Galena, i-emained but a short time, and 
removed to new claims between !\)nca and New Castle. 

Among the most noted settlers who came there in 1S()1) 
and since then, may be mentioned the following: 

E. E. Ellis, '69. He has been a prominent farmer and was 
Dixon county's representative in the legislature in 1S1)8 and 
1894. His farm (2S0 acres) is three miles from Allen village. 

Wm. Ellis, came in '61). 

Aaron Smith also came in the same year. Has a well im- 
proved farm of 240 acres near the old Springbank post office. 

V. H. Herfel and his farailv came from Wisconsin in '()!). 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 343 

Has 240 acres, well improved, tine house, orchard, etc. Has 
six children. 

John Herfel, brother of the above, moved here the same 
year, settled on 1()() acres and now lives there. His family 
consists of a wife and seven children. 

In 1S70 the arrivals greatly increased. Among them 
were: 

Joseph Isom, lives two miles south of Allen; has 420 
acres, farmer and stockman. 

Wm. H. Pomeroy, prominent farmer and citizen. Was 
supervisor of 8pringl)ank several terms and chairman of 
the board of supervisors in 1SS7 and ISSS. He now resides 
in Allen. 

Henry Allen. A part of his large farm became the town- 
site of Allen, which place was named after him. 

Sol. Koser, J. Kellogg. Charles Kellogg. John Green 
and John Allen also came in 1S70. 

A. D. Whitford, 1871. Came from Wisconsin; lives one 
and one-half miles south of Allen where he has a farm of 
240 acres; large family. Represented Dixon county in the 
legislature in lSSy-90. * 

John F. Pomeroy, 1S71. Farmer, has 240 acres. Was 
sheriff of Dixon county in 1884 and 1885, and was supervisor 
of Sjn-ingbank hve years and chairman of the board in 
Lsyo. '91 and '1)2. An excellent and popnlar county officer. 

R. H. Pomerov, 1871. For sketch and portrait see Ponca 
City. 

Nelson Pomeroy, father of W. H. Pomeroy, John F. Pom- 
eroy and R. H. Pomeroy, located in Springbank in 1871. He 
died about ten years ago. 

Seth Hamlin, 1872. Is a successful farmer owning 900 
acres of land. He was one of the county commissioners in 
1884 and 1885. 

S. H. Wheeler, 1872. 

S. 1. Hart, in 1877. Came from Dakota county where he 
had lived since 1867. Has 280 acres of choice and well cul- 
tivated land two and one-half miles from Allen, in which 
village he now resides. 

James Stewart, who came in 1861 and Elijah Roberts and 
John Borg. are prominent residents of Springbank, and have 



3J4 HISTORY iJF DLX.01^ COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

large farms. John Hor^- has one of the l)est. in the county, 
containing 4S0 acres, five miles southeast of Allen. 

Allen is situated on a slight elevation fremi which a view 
is had of a hue farming country, beautiful valleys and roll- 
ing prairie. It is on the Short Line railroad, and hence is a 
good market town, being in the centre of a very rich country 
and one which is thickly settled by well to do citizens. Allen 
naturally has a large business and a continued growth. 

Allen was incorporated May 16, 1898, and now contains 
(Jan. 1, 1890) about 800 people. 

As in all localities where education and religion are con- 
scientiously looked after and advanced, Allen has a hne, new. 
two story school house, a graded school and good teachers. 
The town also has two churches, viz.: Catholic and Metho- 
dist, and the Campbellites have an organization. All have 
good attendance. There are also the Masonic, I. 0. of 0. F., 
and M. W. A. societies, each of wdiich has a good liall anti a 
large membership. 

Among its prominent business men is W. A. Morgan who 
came to Allen al)out three years ago from Dakota county 
where he was born. Since coming here, he has been actively 
engaged in the mercantile business, and is a member of the 
firm of Armour <t Morgan. He has been an efficient supervisor 
of Springbank for '94 and '95, and under the new law relating to 
su])ervisors. was in the fall of '95 elected to represent Spring- 
l)ank and (xalena on the board of Supervisors for two yeai's 
longer. With the other members of '95. his portrait is seen 
on another page of this book. 

Another of Allen's prominent young Imsiness men is H. H. 
Hart, whose popularity with the citizens last fall elected him 
sheriff of the county. Mr. Hart w^as born in Hiclihind. Keo- 
kuk county. Iowa. A])ril IS, 18B7, and came to Dakota county 
with his parents the same year, and to Springbank, Dixon 
county, in 1876. Was married, November 24, 1887, to Nellie 
Isom, who was born in Dane county. Wis., and came with 
her parents to Springbank. Mr. and Mi's. Ha.rt have one 
child. A portrait of the group is in this chaptcM-. 

Wilson Brothers and Wm. Filley also have large stores 
and good stocks of goods. 

W. li. Mote is the popular and gentlemanly cashier of the 
Allen State Bank. 




MR. AND MRS. H. H. HART AND CHILD. 

(See page 244. 1 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 347 

The two hardware stores are those of Tripp ^ Company 
and C. A. Coffin, the latter being also postmaster. 

The Edwards & Bradford Lumber Company and Snyder 
A: Company, have each large lumber yards in town. 

One good newspaper, the Allen News, has been estab- 
lished several years. 

J. K. Lennox has a real estate office, J. F. Hall deals in 
farm machinery. Jack Cavanagh has a livery stable, Mrs. Put- 
nam keeps a good hotel, and C. A. Thompson and H. H. Hart 
bay grain. 

Allen's physicians are Dr. Wanzer and Dr. Puffet. Such is 
a brief outline of a few of the leading kinds of business in 
Allen. 

In Allen resides Henry Allen the founder of the town, S. 
I. Hart, Bernard Cavanagh, one of the first settlers of the 
county, and many other worthy and respected citizens. 

In addition. Allen has a good railroad depot and telegraph 
office, freight office, warehouses, etc. A number of trades 
and kinds of business not above referred to are well repre- 
sented in town. 

EMERSON TOWNSHIP AND VILLAGE. 

The village of Emerson is situated in the extreme south- 
eastern part of the county, on the Chicago, St. Paul, Min- 
neapolis & Omaha railroad, with a population of about 800. 
The Winnebago reservation, Thurston county, borders it on 
the south, and the county line between Dixon and Dakota 
counties is its Main street north and south. It was estab- 
lished in 1S.S1 and is the junction of the Chicago, St. Paul, 
Minneapolis & Omaha railroad and its Norfolk branch. The 
first building erected was the depot, followed l)y three sec- 
tion houses. Boyle brothers built the fifth building where 
they kept a store, and Wm. Warnock built the sixth, which 
was the hrst dwelling house there. 

In 18S:3 R. E. Kuhn platted the original town site and 
commenced the erection of a bank, which was completed in 
1884, since which time additions have been made by D. W. 
Mathews, Atlee Hart, W. Warnock, Emerson Mill & Im- 
provement Company, James Monier and others. The first 
lumber yard was started by J. J. McCarthy and M. L, Ros- 
siter, which is now known as the Edwards & Bradford 



248 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Lumber Company. A man by the name of Dean opened a 
real estate office at the same time, and afterwards removed 
to Sioux City, la. Two general stores were then opened, 
one by 0. B. Morey and one by Paul & Flint. Flint dying 
soon after, the business was conducted by Paul. 

Among the first residents who located upon the prairie and 
hills and founded the town of Emerson were Wm. Warnock, 
P. H. Boyle, H. S. Boyle. Patrick Bannan, W. S. Lippold, 
John Engelen, M. Pruden, M. L. Rossiter, J. J. McCarthy, 
D. W. Parmalee, R. E. Kuhn, C. A. Johnson and Nelson 
Feauto. There are a few of the old homesteaders left on 
the homesteads in Emerson township yet; among them are 
Enos Demme, P. Kerwin, T. J. Beith,Wm. O'Neill, Sr., Wm. 
Kerwin, J. A. Mandaville and Wm. O'Neill, Jr. 

The Echo was the first newspaper venture in the town, 
established in the spring of '83 by Nelson Feauto who was 
succeeded by Joshua Leonard, July 21. 'S5. Mr. Leonard 
changed the name of the paper to the ?]merson Era and con- 
ducted it until '1)2, when it expired. In a few weeks 
thereafter Harry S. Swanson and Chas. S. Packard started 
the Emerson Enterprise, and the paper was sold to Frank 
Bancroft, who in December of the same year sold to H. W. 
Conley, he selling to S. E. Cobb, June 2, '98. The Emerson 
Times was established March 25, '98. with A. L. Moore as 
editor, but two weeks of journalistic life was enough for him, 
and the paper was sold to Z. M. Baird, he selling to E. E. 
Smith in March, '95, who is its present editor. 

There are three good church buildings in the town. The 
Presl)yterian. L. W. Scudder, pastor; St. Paul Lutheran, 
J. Bohnstengle, pastor; Catholic, J. Barry, pastor. The 
Presbyterians and Catholics have erected parsonages for 
their pastors. In 'S5 the s(diool district was bonded for 
$5,000 and a large, fine school building was erected wliich is 
a credit to the district. 

The first secret society organized in the town was the 
Grand Army of the Republic, which established C. R. Weaver 
Post 1S5 on April 19, '94; J. F. Warner, then commander of 
the post at Dakota City, being installing officer. Among the 
charter members were W^illiam Warnock. B. F, Goodwin, 
John Bennett, I. M. Shockley, N. Feauto, J. Dixon, Charles 
Boyle. E. Barber and John Ward. The Masons organized 



HISTORY OP DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 349 

here Jan. 25, '93, with M. H. Evans, W. M., and J. W.Fisher, 
secretary. 

In November, '92, a meeting was held in the town at 
which time the Emerson Mill <fe Improvement Company 
was organized, and the following spring, work was com- 
menced on the Emerson Roller Mills, which were completed 
Jan. 1, '94. The mill completed cost $15,000; has a capacity 
of 100 barrels per day and bin room for 10,000 bnshels of 
wheat. The officers of the company are G. Y. Bonus, presi- 
dent; R. L. Currie, vice president; P. CI. Fancher. secretary 
and treasurer. 

Emerson has four general stores; Davis & Fuller, Kuntz & 
McCarthy, E. H. Monroe & Co., and the "Fair." with J. K. 
Lenox, proprietor; two hardware stores. Painter & Isenberg, 
and Krattle & Brustkern; two drug stores, John Connor and 
H. 0. Armour tt Co.: laundry. D. Beck, pro^jrietor; two boot 
and shoe repair shops. Aug. Yenger and A. Assenan; one 
furniture store. Parmalee Bros.; two banks. Farmers State 
Bank. Ceo. H. Haase, president, Fred Bloom, vice president, 
C. C. King cashier, German American Bank, J. J. McCarthy, 
president, Wm. Warnock, vice president. H. F. Moseman, 
cashier; two physicians, M. H. Evans and W. A. Lee; three 
attorneys, W. A. Martin. Paul Bergin and Joshua Leonard; 
two saloons, 0. E. Danielson and McCoy & Ha mm; meat 
market. Aug. Paul; two blacksmith shops, J. C. Winters and 
Doyle & Wellington; two lumber yards, Edwards & Brad- 
ford, Wm. Crahan, manager, and Jansen & Wiseman; two 
livery barns, Mark Engelen and Robt. Poole; contractors 
and builders, Jansen Bros., I. A. Omsted, Chas. Anderson, 
John Schaub; grain. Hour and feed, L. F. Demers; two ele- 
vators. L. F. Demers and F. H. Peavey & Co., J. H. Ritchie, 
manager; school, T. E. Stevens, principal; S. E. Cobb, Myrtle 
Foget. Lulu Neihart. teachers; real estate, Wm. Warnock, 
Joshua Leonard and Boyle Bros.; dress making and millin- 
ery. Mrs. 0. H. Lowe, Mrs. I. F. Stijuires and Miss Anna 
Clark; st-ition agent. F. 0. Paulger; operators, F. J. Hayden 
and F. B. Smith; live stock. Kellogg, Jensen & Schopke, 
Davis & Fuller; brick and tile works. M. A. Mines; creamery, 
Wm. Warnock; hotels, B. J. McDonald, Frank Jones, Mrs. 
Fligg, Enoch Beals; mail carrier, Chas. Varvais; postmaster, 
P. Kerwin; loan and insurance, notary public and justice of 



350 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

the peace, W. Wariiock; wagon shop, windmills and pumps, 
A. N. Carlile; harness shop, W. Metz; confectioners, John 
Estaque and Frank Jones; barbers, H. Parmalee, Jack But- 
ler, Geo. McPherron; masons, Englen & McCallough; village 
board, H. F. Moseman, chairman; Jacob Jensen, Louis 
Swartz, L. F. Demers, A. A. Davis, trustees; H. Parmalee, 
clerk; C. C. King, treasurer; W. A. Martin, attorney; R. A. 
Poole, marshal. 

We have been uual)le to obtain the particulai-s concern- 
ing the residents o£ Emerson township outside the village, 
except in a very few instances. Among them is J. I. Brown 
who has lived in the township abont nineteen years, and has 
200 acres nicely located and improved. 

Patrick Kerwin has also been a farmer and land ownei' 
there for years before the village was started. He lias been 
and is now a leading citizen of the township and is well 
known and well liked throughout the county. Aside from 
farming he has had other business enterprises, in all which 
he has had success. He is now the })ostmaster there. To 
Mr. Kerwin we are greatly indebted for valuable assistance 
in collecting facts in relation to Emerson village. 

Another popular and influential citizen of Emerson is 
Wm. Sweeney, who has been the supervisor for that town- 
ship during '1)2, '98, '94 and '95. His portrait is seen with 
the other members of the l)oard for that year. 

Wm. Warnock who from the foregoing is seen to be one 
of Emerson's most enterprising citizens, came there in ISSl 
and served as postmaster ten years, giving entire satis- 
faction to the citizens. 

Emerson has many other worthy citizens in the townslii}> 
and village, than those we have mentioned. Outside the 
town is a hue region of country, good farms and fai-mers. 
and the buildings and improvements show unmistakable 
prosperity. In the town there are many fine residences and 
business houses. 

Being an impoitant i-ailroad point, Emerson, has an 
assured future growth. 'V\w time is not far distant when its 
business and population will l)e at least double what it now 
has. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 351 



CHAPTER XIX. 
Logan, Wakefield and Concord Townships. 

LOGAN township 

Is west of and adjoins Waketield, and is bounded on the 
south and west by Wayne county and on the north by Con- 
cord township. It is a superior farming country. The land 
is rolling, the soil rich and water is plenty. The North and 
South Logan rivers pass through the township. 

As in Wakefield and the other townships in the southern 
part of the county the soil is especially adapted to the growth 
of sugar beets. Fifteen tons to the acre is about the average 
crop. 

Logan has no timber, except the numerous groves planted 
in the past twenty years, some of which are very large. The 
township has no village, and the market places are either at 
Wayne or Wakeheld. Logan also has no post office. It had 
one established in an early day. Park Hill post office, so 
named after William Park, the postmaster. It was discon- 
tinued about January 1, 'S"2. 

Logan has 750 inhabitants, six school houses and one 
church, German Lutheran. A large proportion of the resi- 
dents of the town are Swedes and Germans. They are an 
enterprising and reliable class of citizens, and as a general 
rule are prosperous and successful farmers. 

George Fenton, who came with his family in the fall of '69, 
was the first settler. He and his wife now live in Wakefield. 
His old homestead in Logan, a well improved farm of 240 
acres, he still retains. 

A. F. Hinds. 70, and Pitt M. Hinds, 72, and their families; 
each had a good farm of IGO acres. A. F. Hinds sold out and 
moved away a few years ago, and now lives in Tennessee. 

Pitt M. Hinds died in '94. His wife died in '72. Hers 
was the first death known to be natural in that part of the 
countv. 



352 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Irvin Packer, one of Logan's settlers in 71, now lives in 
Minnesota. 

G. W. Packer, who also came in 71, still resides in that 
township, and has a valuable 160 acre farm. 

William Park, 72, lived in the township until '1)8, when 
he removed to Wakefield, where he now resides. He still 
retains his old farm of half a section in Logan. 

T. J. Postlewait came in '78, and has been engaged in 
farming and stock growing. 

Thomas Graham came to Logan in 74 or '75. He is now 
temporarily in California. Owns a farm of 160 acres in the 
township. 

Frank A. Hypse came to Logan in 'S2, from Ford county, 
ni., and has a farm of 160 acres, improved, with orchard, 
grove, etc. His family consists of himself, wife and five 
children. For several years Mr. Hypse has ably served 
Logan township as supervisor, his term ending in October, 'U5. 
when the board of supervisors was reorganized under the 
new law. His portrait is seen with those of the other mem- 
bers of the board on another page. 

J. W. Hypse located in Logan in 'S3, has a large family 
and is a successful farmer. Was supervisor of the town for 
three years. 

Frank Ruyter, an old settler, was county commissioner 
and supervisor several terms. 

Gustus Johnson, from Ford county. 111., in 'S-2. The first 
Swede to locate in Logan. Has a 400 acre farm and good 
improvements and buildings. Has seven sons and daughters, 
all grown up. 

Chris. Wischhof, 'S4. farmer, has 220 acres. Prominent in 
township affairs and a reliable citizen. 

Henry liessman, 'S4, farmer. 160 acres, improved, stands 
high in the township. 

The following are a few of the other farmers in town. 
Tlieir farms are generally large and in fine condition as to 
buildings, groves, orchards, etc. The date of arrival, and the 
amount of land follow the names. 

Andrew Beckstrom, 'S2, 160 acres; C. J. Swanson, "S8. 820 
acres; C. J. Fredei-ickson, "S4, 160 acres; Henry Meyer, 'S4, 
large farm; Henry llenrich, 'S4, large farm; Wm. Henrich, 
'84, large farm; Henry Kober. \S4, large farm; Wm. Wilmer 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 255 

'84, large farm; Wm. Lillie, '84, large farm; Flage, '84, 
about 400 acres; Ellis Ellison, '86, large farm; Olof Elliasoo, 
'87, 320 acres; S. M. Anderson '85, 160 acres; J. A. Johnson, 
large farm. 



WAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP. 

Is bounded on the north by Springbank, east by Emer- 
son, south by Wayne county and west by Logan. The justly 
celebrated Logan river, and valley from two to three miles 
wide, passes through the southwestern part of the township, 
furnishing the excellent water power facilities which have 
been utilized by the flouring mills at Wakeheld village. 

One of the hrst settlers in this part of the county was C. 
T. Barto, whose frontier experiences here form an interest- 
ing part of the history of Wakefield. C. T. Barto was born 
in Bradford county, Penn., February 8th, 1837. His father, 
N. H. Barto, who was born at Bainbridge. N. Y., 1812, and 
still living, removed to Chemung county, N. Y., near 
Elmira in 1843. C. T. Barto married Estella Cooley, January 
3rd, 1861. and removed to Illinois in April, 1861. There 
they rented a farm in DeKalb county, which they after- 
wards bought. In 1868 they sold their farm and started on 
their pilgrimage west and located in what is now Wakefield 
township on May 3rd, 1869. At that time the nearest settler 
on the road to Sioux City was Boedkey. twelve miles east 
of Wakefield, and the next Jesse Wigle, twenty-one miles 
east of Barto's place on Wigle creek, two miles south of the 
present town of Homer. South there was no settlement 
short of the Elkhorn river. West, no settlement short of 
Norfolk, at that time called Yellowbanks. The nearest post- 
office was twenty-four miles east in Dakota county and 
Major C. H. Potter was postmaster, and there also was 
located the nearest flouring mill run by a man named David 
and now operated by Sam Coombs. North there was prac- 
tically no settlement nearer than South Creek, the Pome- 
roys settling in Springbank in '70 or '71, and the Herfels 
and Georg? 0. Lampher about the same time. 

At that time Sioux City was the only market and over 
that forty miles Mr. Barto had to do all his hauling until '82. 
In the winter of '73. he spent sixty days on the road between 
his place and Sioux City, and carried his own hotel right 



256 HISTORY OF DIXOM COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

with him. and this was one of the coldest w^intei's he has ex- 
perienced since he has been in the state. For fuel he used 
wood which he brought from the Missouri river on his return 
trips. He would haul to market grain or hogs and bring 
back wood which he cut himself. Had he not come from a 
long lived race and hard to kill, these privations would have 
cut short his early career. 

Mrs. Barto was l)orn May 5th, '45, also in Bradford 
county, Penn. Her parents removed to Chemung county, N. 
Y., in '55. Her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Cooley, died at Mr. 
Barto's place in January, '95, aged eighty-two years. 

Mrs. Barto is well preserved, hale and hearty and prom- 
ises to reach as good an old age as her predecessors in the 
family line. 

The portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Barto, taken on their road 
to this country twenty-six years ago, will be seen on another 
page. Mr. Barto's long hair as seen in the picture, used to 
be greatly admired by the Indians, and to prevent their 
stealing it, land perhaps his scalp at the same time), he had 
to cut it off. Mr. and Mrs. Barto have had seventeen child- 
ren, of whom fifteen are living. They have a beautiful farm 
of 560 acres, all under cultivation or in use, groves, orchards, 
etc. Mr. Barto is a prominent citizen and much esteemed in 
the county. He was county treasurer for four years and has 
l)een and is now a leading memiier of the board of super- 
visors. With Mr. Barto. when he came, was C. 1. Blake, also 
from Illinois. 

In the fall of '69 George Fenton and family came and A. 
F. Hinds and family the following year. G. W. and Irving 
Packer and Pitt M. Hinds and family came in 1871, William 
Park in 1S7-2 and T. J. Postlewaitein 1S7:1 Of these, Mr. 
Blake settled near Mr. Barto, and the others located in what 
is now known as Logan township. 

Mr. Blake now occupies the same place he located on in 
1(S69. He has eighty acres and is a good farmer. His family 
consists of self, wife and several children. 

Philo Graves was also one of the early residents of this 
township. His father. Wilhird Graves of Illinois, in the 
spring of l.S()S, locatinl 40 sections of land ("25.600 acres) in 
Cedar and Wayne counties and in the southern part of Dixon 
county, and in the following year brought here his family 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 257 

and a colony of people, a large share of whom bought farms 
in Wayne county. A few. however, became residents of the 
present towuships of Wakefield and Logan. 

The first school ever taught in Wakefield township was 
by Miss Lucy Morey, who commenced January 7th, 1875. 
The children of Mr. Barto constituted the whole school. He 
was director, C. L Blake was moderator and Philo Graves 
treasurer. The three were about all the heads of families in 
the district, and as the moderator and treasurer were unable 
to furnish scholars for the school, that duty devolved en- 
tirely upon the director as above stated. In those early days 
settlements were far apart. The great valley of the Logan, 
now thickly settled and rich in farms and improvements, 
was then nearly as wild as when under Indian sway. The 
few white people who came, had a lonely life, which for 
many years was almost unbroken. 

In ISSI. the railroad which was being built from Sioux 
City to Norfolk was completed through the town, and the 
station, Wakefield, was established. Immediately the sleep- 
ing valley was awakened to new life, and the few people 
who had ruled the township year after year, soon saw their 
number grow. Land which in past days of discouragement 
and home-sickness had been offered at less than government 
price, and could not be sold at any price, suddenly rose into 
notice and demand. Mr. Dixon, who for twenty years had a 
farm near where the village of Wakefield is, told us that he 
had tried time after time to sell his land at one dollar per 
acre. Rich and beautiful as was the valley, as long as its 
ocean of tall grass was undisturbed by a railroad, few want- 
ed it. Finally the road came and with it came a great tide 
of ambitious and enterprising settlers. 

WAKEFIELD VILLAOE. 

The village of Wakefield was incorporated in the summer 
of '83, having at that time more than two hundred inhabit- 
ants. The prime movers in the incorporation were Philo 
Graves the town site proprietor, and George W. Waite, at 
that time manager of the fiouring mills, and a leading busi- 
ness man of the town, but now a live stock dealer in Sioux 
Citv. 



358 HISTORY OF UIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Wakefield, like most western towns situated in a good 
level country, and which followed the completion of a line 
of railway and the establishment of a station, has had a. 
steady growth, and for the most part her citizens have 
prospered. Many of her business men have obtained a start 
here, and gone to other places to continue a successful 
career. Others who have remained, are now the substantial 
men of the town. 

The C, 8t. P., M. «t 0. railroad reached Wakefield late in 
the summer of '.Si; but ere its arrival the first enterprising 
comers were already erecting buildings. The town site was 
surveyed by Engineer Wakefield of Sioux City, whence the 
town derives its name, as well as from its wide awake people. 

The first store was running in the fall of 'Si and the 
building was put up by John T. Marriott, who owned and 
conducted the store. It was a medium sized, frame structure 
and stood opposite where the post office is now located. 

George Childs also had a hardware store which stood a 
few lots south of Marriott's store. Both of these men are 
still in business in Wakefield. 

In the summer of 1SS4 most of the brick buildings were 
erected from brick made at the W^akefi eld yards. The build- 
ing of the Wakefield and Hartington line about this time, 
gave the town consideral)le impetus and her business sub- 
stantial gains. 

The first county seat town of Wayne county. La Porte, 
was mostly moved to Wayne, Init three of the buildings were 
moved to Wakefield. 

There have never been any fires of importance in the 
town, and now there is a complete standpipe system of water 
works, affording ample protection. 

From a population of 200 in 'S8. Wakefield has increased 
to nearly 1,000 in 'D"), with every prospect of l)oc()ming in as 
much more time (a dozen years) a prosperous town of from 
2,000 to 8.000 people. There are about fifty business houses 
or lines of business represented. 

There are five churches: Presbyti^rian, Methodist. Cliris- 
tian, Swedish Lutheran and Swedish Mission. 

The public school has 200 |»u|)ils enrolled, with five 
teachers in charge. The main building is brick, and a frame 




HON. H. P. SHUMWAY. 

(See page 261.) 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 261 

building was erected this year at a cost of $1,000 for the 
primary department. There is no school debt. 

Among the leading business men is J. 0. Milligan, proprie- 
tor of the Wakeheld Roller Mills; Shumway, Everett & Co., 
lumber and farm implements, and representing the oldest 
established business in the town; Rawlings Bros, and A. L. 
Button, hardware; Wm. Harrison & Co., Ekeroth, Carlson & 
Co., Blotcky Bros, and D. (1. Metcalf, general merchandise; 
C. W. Long and T. A. McKichan, druggists; C. H. Merritt, 
furniture; C. L. Herrington and J. F. Slinger, hotel keepers; 
J. D. Haskell & D. Mathewson, and L. Kimball, bankers; 

C. F. Howard, jeweler; Nels Lingren, gunsmith and city 
engineer; Noah Weaver, wagon maker; B. C. Whitaker, 
harness maker and contractor and builder; G. W. Green, 
livery; C. E. Hunter, postmaster and justice of the peace; 
W. S. Cook and H. Lambert, buyers and shippers of live 
stock and meat market; C. Hinrich. meat market; Collins & / 
Henry, clothing; I. M. Belknap and 0. E. Martin, law and 
real estate; S. Osier, livery; Turner & Brenner, Peavey 
& Co., and J. 0. Milligan, dealers and shippers; John T. Mar- 
riott, E. D. Smith, Nels Hansen and Jas. Malloy, real estate; 
H. A. Schoregge, bakery; Mrs. Frank Rice, millinery; Ed- 
wards & Bradford and Geo. Childs, lumber and coal; Ole 
Lundberg, shoe store; Wm. Wheeler, Wakeheld Republican, 
established 14 years ago; F. M. Bloodhart. barber shop; 

D. W. Walker, cold storage; Charles Foltz, ice dealer; John 
A. Larson and A. G. Messer, contractors and builders; A. E. 
Quimby, contractor; J. G. Moir, harness shop; Paul Nindel, 
soda water and pop factory; Robert Kneebs & Son, breeders 
of hue horses; Dr. B. T. Harman and Dr. Robt. Q. Rowse. 
physicians. 

Wakefield societies: Masons, Odd Fellows, United Work- 
men, M. W. A., R. A. M., I. F. A., and Wakefield Building 
Association. All are in a prosperous condition. 

One of the prominent citizens of Wakefield is Herbert 
Paine Shumway who was born at Caledonia, Minnesota, 
April IS. 1.S56. His father, J. Shumway, was a native of 
Connecticut, and his mother. Mary M. Shumway, was a 
native of Pascoe, Rhode Island. They moved to Minnesota 
in LS53, where was born to them a family of six sons and 
two daughters, of which the subject of this sketch is the 



i 



262 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

oldest son. He was brought up on a farm and attended 
district school in the winter until he was eighteen years old 
when he i)repared for college at Caledonia Academy and 
graduated from the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis 
in the scientific course in June, 1882. He supported himself 
during his college course by teaching or working on a farm. 
In the following July he came to Wakefield. Nebraska, and 
engaged in the lumber business to which was subsequently 
added coal and farm implements. But l)elieving there is 
nothing like the farming lands of Nel)raska he has been for 
the past ten years occasionally buying lands until he now 
has an improved farm of 1,000 acres in a body lying in the 
Logan valley one-half mile from Wakefield, He is somewhat 
interested in politics and was elected in '90 to the state 
senate, being one of the two republican senators elected from 
north of the Platte river. In '92 he was an alternate dele- 
gate to the republican national convention at Minneapolis. 
He served on the staff of (lovernor Crounse as colonel. In 
'94 he was a candidate for the nomination for lieutenant 
governor and received 36(5 votes out of 806. Mr. Shumway 
has been a trustee of the M. E. church of Wakefield since it 
was built in 1.SS2. In Wakefield, Mr. Shumway's infiuence 
has always been devoted to the promotion of the best in- 
terests of the place and citizens. He is chairman of the 
village board and is. as he has always been, prominent in 
advocating improvements and beneficial enterprises. 



CONCORD TOWNSHIP. 

Is Ijounded north l)y Clark, east by Springbank, south by 
Logan and west by Cedar county. 

Concord township has two villages. Concord and Dixon, 
the first located on the Hartington branch of the C, St. P., 
M. & 0. II. K., and the latter village on the Short Line road. 

The township is generally level or slightly undulating. 
There are plenty of springs and streams and the Logan passes 
through the south half of the township. There is little native 
timber but nearly every farm has a good grove. 

Outside of the villages the township has four school houses 
and good schools. 

In the earlydays of thecounty there were also, as we have 
seen in this history, two villages named Concord and Dixon, 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 263 

but in nothing except names were they identihed in any 
manner with those of the present township of Concord. 

One of the leading residents of Concord township is Willis 
Jenkins, who was born in New York; went to Illinois when 
21 years old and the next year to Iowa, and from Iowa in 7S 
came here. He was married in Iowa and has a son and 
daughter. He has half a section and first-rate improvements. 
He was the supervisor of Concord in '86, being the first member 
from that town after township organization was adopted. 
When Mr. Jenkins came to the township there were not over 
half a dozen settlers there before him. 

Wm. Cowie who came here about twenty-three years ago 
is now in Missouri. 

W. W. Crain came twenty-six years ago, and now lives in 
Benton county. Ark., where he removed four years ago. 

Henry Thompson, (the father of the supervisor of '95) was 
in the township when Mr. Jenkins came. Mr. Thompson 
has a farm of 200 acres and is well fixed in every way. 

G. 0. Acres came and settled on a homestead in 187!S. A 
sketch of him appears in connection with that of Concord 
village. 

H. D. Hall came here eleven years ago, and has a well 
improved quarter section of land. He was supervisor in '91 
and '92. 

P. A., C. J. and C. H. Nelson, from Iowa, and Mike Carroll 
and John Gillan. from Wisconsin, came nine years ago and 
have good farms, from one-fourth to one-half a section apiece. 

Robert Delay came about eight years ago from Iowa and 
has 200 acres. 

All those mentioned have good houses and most of them 
orchards and groves. 

Wm. B. Hall also came from New York 11 years ago and 
has a valuable 160 acres. 

J. W. Thomi»son was supervisor for Concord in '93, '94 
and '95. His portrait appears elsewhere. He is an intelli- 
gent and successful farmer and stock raiser, and was an ex- 
cellent supervisor. In mentioning Mr. Thompson in the list 
of supervisors on page 136 we have written his name as Wil- 
liam Thompson. It should have been J. W. Thompson, as 
appears by his signature below his portrait. 



364 HISTORY UF DIXUN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

H. D. Hooker came from New York nine years ago and 
bought an improved half section. He died a few years ago. 
His family still reside on the farm. 

John B. Lysle, John Eckert, Wm. Haberman, Mr. Bosse 
and Wm. Shilling, came from Iowa nine years ago and have 
good farms and are successful farmers. 

Royal Thompson located here al)oat 20 years ago. He 
now lives in Concord village. 

James Barnhill first came about 14 years ago. Has been 
absent part of the time since. He farms on a quarter section. 

Joseph Classman, from Minnesota, has been here six 
years. He has a farm of 120 acres and is fortunate in busi- 
ness. 

John Newman is another enterprising farmer. Came 
from Iowa eight years ago and has 160 acres. 

Thomas Long has been here eight years. He owns the 
old Royal Thompson farm of a quarter section. 

John Mills came here a year ago and l)oaght Porter 
Uewey's farm of SO acres. 

Jerry Sullivan lives in Dixon village where he moved 
from (!lark a year ago. 

Mr. Trow has been here four years on his farm of o20 
acres. 

C. W. Gurney, the proprietor of the Hesperian Nurseries 
of (V)ncord, came from Iowa about 14 years ago. He bought 
200 acres on which lie has since had a large nursery busi- 
ness. He recently removed to Yankton. 

Concord village contains about 150 inhabitants and has 
not been incorporated. The two villages. Concord and 
Dixon, are only two miles apart. Both are good business 
points. 

Geo. 0. Acres, a leading citizen of Concord village, built 
the first house in that vicinity and ferried all the lumber 
across the river at Sioux City with which to build it. Mi-. 
Acres was born in '55 at Manchester, Iowa, and came to 
Nebraska in 78 and settled on a homestead in what is now 
Concord township, where he lived until the fall of '89, when 
he bought out the lumber and coal business of Shumway «t 
Everett at Concord village. He sold lumber, bought live 
stock and grain until 1898. and was interested in all improve- 
ments in Concord. In '90, when the Concord State Bank 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 265 

was instituted, lie was elected a director and was an active 
worker, helping to make it one of the best banks in north- 
eastern Nebraska, in '98 he became cashier, which posi- 
tion he now holds. 

The village of Concord has now two good stores of which 
Messrs. Clark and Kemp are proprietors and Mr. Clark is the 
postmaster of the place. H. Shilling deals in hardware; Dr. 
McColm has a drag store; R. N. Smith, harness shop; John 
Brannaman. billiard hall; CI. 0. Acres, lumber yard, and Mrs. 
Foote has a hotel. There is also a grain buyer there in the 
interest of the Peaveys. The C^oncord State Bank does a 
good business under the cashiership of Mr. Acres. 

Concord has a good school and one church, (Swedish) a Hue 
building and well attended. 

Dixon village was incorporated May 1(), 1S93. and now has 
a population of 250. A good steam grist mill is in operation 
here, owned by Keil Bros., and does a successful l)usiness. iVn 
energetic creamery company has l)uilt and operates a large 
creamery. It is an establishment of much benefit to the town 
and surrounding country. Among the business men and 
houses, we notice C. Stimson, banker; O'Flaherty Bros., mer- 
chants, stock dealers and grain buyers (and really a large 
share of the life of the town); A. E. Sparks, general merchant; 
J. C. Eckei'. druggist; D. Carroll, hotel, grain buyer, etc.; G. 
P. Wright, hardware; E. W. Clawson, agent of the Edwards 
*t Bradford Lumber Co.; Isaac Brannaman, furniture; W. 
H. Gibson, postmaster and grocer; J. Nichols and David 
Ayers, restaurants; G. W. Holder, market; C. Brannaman, 
livery; F. Wiedenfeldt and G. W. Hayu, blacksmiths, and 
one interesting and well supported newspaper, the Tribune. 
Dixon has a hrst-class school and teachers. The school 
house, a fine, new building, was burned a few months ago, and 
another will soon l)e completed to take its place. There are 
two churches, the Catholic and Christian, each of which has 
a good building. Dixon has also lodges of Modern Wood- 
men, Good Templars and Knights of Pythias, all in a flour- 
ishing condition. Dixon is a pleasantly located young busi- 
ness place, it has good buildings and its citizens have the 
right kind of push and energy to make their towm grow. 



266 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



ii 



Portraits of Dixon County Teachers. 
One of the principal engravings near the title page of 
this book presents a gronp of ninety or more of the teachers 
who attended the Teachers' Institute at Ponca in August, '95. 
The engraving is from a photograph taken at the time by 
Mr. Hamilton, and a list of the names of those whose por- 
traits appear there has been kindly furnished by Miss Mary 
Schroer, the popular school superintendent of the county. 
The following- is the list: 



Estella Forney, 
Daisy Herrick, 
Dora Kavanaugh, 
Julia McQuillen, 
Stella Wilcox. 
Mrs. J. V. Pearson, 
Evalena Rohan, 
Vida Palmer, 
Mrs. Hetta Surber. 
Isa Ward, 
Mary McKinley, 
Mrs.\T. M. O'Connell, 
Clara Gordon, 
Stella Brown, 
Anna Sheffel, 
Anna Wenstrand, 
Lillie Busby. 
Mrs. B. H. Culver, 
Elizabeth Everett, 
Ethel Duncan. 
Jessie Scott, 
Swain Olson, 
Edna Hamilton. 
Albia Brown, 
Irene Stover, 
Will O'Connor, 



Mabel Fero, 
Charlotte Wasson, 
Ada Phillips, 
Rosa Kingsbury, 
Minnie Thompson, 
Mertie Cummings. 
Hunter Brown, 
C. Wright, 
Anna Walbeck. 
Lizzie Cavanaugh, 
Anna Doyle, 
Jennie Robinson. 
Ella Kingsbury, 
Geo. Beith, 
Katie Byrne. 
Kate Bones. 
Jessie Bailey, 
Eliza Park, 
Emma Anderson, 
Jennie Bovee, 
Lizzie O'Connor, 
Attie Acres, 
Irene Boekenhauer, 
Minnie Beers. 
Rosa Reising, 
Kate Sullivan. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



367 



L. M. Powers, 
John McCliisky, 
J. V. Pearson, 
Maud Jones, 
Cassie McKinley, 
Carrie Harper, 
Ida Lockwood, 
Hallie Bennett, 
Frances Stimson, 
Myrtle Weaver, 
Lettie Heikes, 
Myrtle Foget, 
Clarissa Flageolle, 
Lucy Flageolle, 
Rosa Byrne, 
Maggie Malone, 
Mrs. C. E. Davis, 
Prof. H. E, Kratz. 
Mary Schroer, Co. Supt. 
Prof. F. M. Harding, 



Mary Keegan, 
Evelyn Palmer, 
Adda Martell, 
Lillie Shellington, 
Kate Marron, 
Florence Busby, 
Gertie Grosvenor, 
Carrie Stewart, 
Minnie Beardshear, 
Minnie Shelf el, 
Rose Hughes, 
Lizzie Armstrong, 
Minnie Mills, 
Gertie Culp, 
Jessie Gibbs, 
Anna Leggett, 
Bert Brown, 
Cora Scott, 
Mamie Dewitt, 
Lottie Cassavant. 



There were a few on the picture when it was first taken 
which do not appear there now. In order to fit the engrav- 
ing to the size of the book, a small part had to be taken 
from the sides of the picture, and by so doing the following 
teachers were unavoidably left off: 

Thuie Poff, Maud Woodward, 

Mrs. H. J. Caulfield, Dennis Kinnaman, 

John Richards, Mamie Jones, 

Mrs. May Porter. 



PART SECOND. 



NOTE. 

Legends, stories, adventures, every day incidents, etc., 
etc. All relate to Dixon county in the past or present. 
Some of them are true in every word and others are, in a 
greater or less degree, founded on facts. But whether fact 
or fiction, we trust they will be found interesting, and with 
that hope we dedicate them to friendly perusal. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 373 



AMONG THE INDIANS. 
Adventures in the Dixon County Country in 1810. 

In the spring of LSIO, more than three-quarters of a cen- 
tury ago, two young and energetic men who were ascending 
the Missouri in a canoe, landed at the mouth of the stream 
known at present as Aoway Creek, about four miles east of 
where Ponca now stands. Thus commences a story related 
to us twenty-five years ago by a venerable hunter and trap- 
per who had passed nearly his whole life among the Indian 
tribes of the northwest. 

The two men above mentioned were Scotchmen, lately 
from their native country and who, instigated by love of ad- 
venture had wandered off into this region, then so remote 
from civilization and society, a country whose reputation 
was most dreary and repulsive. 

The names of these hardy adventurers were Alexander 
Mackenzie and Donald Campbell. The hrst was many years 
later in the employment of the Northwestern Fnr Company, 
while the latter, Campbell, became afterward celebrated 
among the tribes along the upper Missouri and Yellowstone 
under the name of I-och-e-gah, or White Chief, as one of 
their most distinguished and successful warriors. 

Our adventurers, as they coasted along the muddy, turbu- 
lent river, saw the little stream debouching through an open- 
ing in the hills, and were glad to rest from the wearing labor 
of urging their canoe against the rapid current, by landing 
and camping under the shade of the trees upon the bank. 
At a short distance to the right and left they beheld rough, 
high hills, and were struck by the wildness and rugged 
grandeur of the scene. 

Here they camped, and determined to rest a few days, 
and perhaps explore and hunt game in the grim regions indi- 
cated by the forbidding hills surrounding them. In the little 
clump of timber where they pitched their tent they saw no 



274 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

sign of life, and as the gloom of the approaching night fell 
upon them, made ten-fold worse by the deep shadows of the 
bluffs and the sighing of the wind through the ravines, it 
seemed to them that they had entered the kingdom of solitude. 
Here they built their fire, ate, drank, and in their blankets 
slept undisturbed. 

In the morning they arose invigorated, and after a hearty 
breakfast started westerly along the south bank of the creek, 
determined to explore the interior of the country. A weari- 
some tramp through l)rush and marsh and further west along 
a wide and level tract, brought them where several valleys 
converged; a spot which by its beauty and the splendor of 
its scenery, fully compensated them for all their toil. Here, 
no longer within the dominions of solitude, they beheld 
life and animation at every turn. The grass gaily decorated 
l)y a wilderness of brilliant flowers formed a rich acd 
enticing carpet for their feet. As they advanced, the joyful 
music of countless songsters of the wood and prairie greeted 
them. Along the neighboring hillsides they saw herds of 
buffalo, while in the distance they beheld a large and popu- 
lous Indian village. 

Startled by finding themselves in the neighborhood of an 
Indian town, and not knowing whether their reception would 
be friendly or hostile, they nevertheless hesitated not to go 
forward as coolly and apparently as unconcerned as though 
among their native Scottish hills. As they approached the 
village, its inhabitants, most of whom liiid never before seen 
a white man. came out to meet them, and received them 
with kindness and honor, so greatly did they admire the un- 
daunted yet evidently peaceful bearing of their two visitors. 

So kind a reception determined Mackenzie and Campbell 
to remain several days and learn the ways of Indian life. 
The pipe of peace was often smoked around the council hre. 
The best lodge, the softest l)ed of furs and the choicest game 
was dedicated to them. They on their part showed their 
new-found Indian friends the mysterious workings of their 
guns, which, speaking with voices of thunder, could kill a 
buffalo at a great distance. Such weapons had never before 
l)een seen by the tribe, and were a source of great astonish- 
ment and awe to them. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 375 

After a few weeks of this luxury, most fascinating to the 
frontiersman, the Scotchmen proposed to depart and resume 
their journey up the river. But the Indians, who it seems, 
had made up their minds that their guests shoukl stay with 
them always, objected, and with various excuses refused to 
let them ^o Once they stole away at night, and had nearly 
reached their canoe, when through the brushwood 
rushed a horde of Indians in hot pursuit, who seized them 
and triumphantly bore them back again , • , i 

Thus time passed on, the greatest kindness was lavished 
upon them, so great indeed that feeling their l)onds as a 
chain concealed beneath garlands of flowers, their captivity 
was in a measure bearable. . 

Soon they became acquainted with the language <>t their 
entertainers', who took much pains to teach it to them. They 
went with them on their visits to other villages of the same 
tribe of which there were several within a day's journey 
and they twice assisted in beating off the raids of a l)aiid ot 
desperate warriors, Arapahoes, under the redoutable Mish- 
tenewah, who had a town in the valley now known as the 
Daily Mishtenewah's tribe seemed to be at enmity with all 
the "others along the river. He was a most cunning 
indomitable old scoundrel in whose vocabulary any word 
signifying "peace" had been utterly blotted out. 

" Finally, in one of his forays, he was so far successful as 
to take several prisoners, and among them was Campbell. 
Mishtenewah did not stand long on ceremony after getting 
back home, but burned the Indian prisoners at the stake 
without unnecessary delay. The white man, however, was 
a curiosity he had nevei- seen before, and he reserved him 
for further investigation. Campbell, on his part, took the 
scrape he was in philosophically, and explained to the grim 
Indian king who he was and where he hailed from. He also 
caused Mishtenewah to expand his massive jaws into a grin 
of delight, as he showed him the skill with which he slaugh- 
tered game with his wonderful gun, the like of which the 
chief had never heard of before. 

So Campbell's life was spared, and he was formally in- 
stalled as one of the tribe. He was taken to the lodge of an 
ancient squaw and informed that she had adopted him tor 
her son, her own son having been recently killed in battle. 



376 HISTORY OF DIXON (BOUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

Mishteiicwali. besides hoiii^' greiit in war. had other am- 
bitions of a more j)ea('eful eharaeter. He had a lar*^-e number 
of wives alread)-. but liis harem was like an omnibus, 
in that it could always hold one more inmate, especially 
if she was youthful and ^-ood lookinjj-. In the village was a 
young and very handsome scjuaw luimed lia-slia-na. upon 
whom the chief cast a longiniJ' eye. jind was detei-mined to 
take her to wife. The Li'lrl was. lioweNcr. a\('rse to the 
royal honor olfered her. She had seen and admired the 
good looks and bra\t' demeanor of (Campbell, and they had 
found such a niutiuil attraction in each other that they often 
wandered away together, and looked and talked love as 
they sat beneath the council tree of the village. (This is 
said to be the great tree long noted as the Lone tree of the 
Daily valley. It is some three feet in diameter and its 
trunk is indented with the numerous cuts and carvings of 
the tribe which flourished around it. I 

It certainly is not to be wondered at that Camp])ell should 
prefer the society of this young Indian lass, to being- 
cooped up in a not very sweetly smelling tepee with the 
mumbling old crone who bv the verdict of the tribe called 
herself his mother. It was at this time that Mishtene- 
wah saw the girl and licked his bloody chops with joy, for 
he thought he saw another sheep for his fold. She on her 
part avoided him as much as possible, and hence the loving 
walks and tete-a-tetes with which Campbell and the young 
squaw whiled away many pleasant hours, were in the even- 
ing, the better to avoid the sight and anger of the chief. 

One evening as the pair sat beneath the waving branches 
of the great tree, contemplating a speedy flight from that 
irksome captivity, old Mishtenewah came nosing mistrust- 
fully along, and seeing them, he drew liis knife in jealous 
fury, and swiftly sprang forward to prod Campbell with it, 
then and there. And he would doubtless have done it, had 
not Campbell, equally as quick, knocked him down with the 
butt end of his gun. He would have shot him. but the noise 
would have aroused the village. Concluding that his enemy 
was knocked senseless but for a short time, and knowing 
that such an insult to the chief would not be overlooked. 
Campbell and the girl, without delay, fled. They made as 
<pii(d\ time as ])ossible down the valley, cautiously avoiding 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 277 

other Indian settlements, intending to seek the protection of 
the tribe where Campbell's friend, Mackenzie was. They had 
come to within a few miles of their destination when they 
heard an uproar behind them, and the rays of the moon 
brightly shining, revealed Mishtenewah and his whole pack 
in full pursuit. So certain was he of their capture that he 
even disdained to adopt the usual Indian tactics of stealth 
and silence in the pursuit. 

It would appear that the old chief's skull was of a very 
tough and durable nature, so that the pounding it received 
did not prevent him from collecting his senses and wits to- 
gether within a very short period of time after the fugitive 
lovers had left. He roused the town in a trice and he and 
his band of marauders followed the fleeing pair, who now, 
just as they were approaching a haven of rest and safety saw 
their pursuers bursting upon them like infuriate thunder- 
bolts. Close pressed, the fugitives made for the hills 
along the west side of the valley, hoping to throw their 
enemies off their trail. But well trained bloodhounds could 
not follow their path with greater exactness. Campbell and 
the girl Hew like the wind, yet closer came the whooping 
and howling band of savages behind them. Thus mile after 
mile was measured off. over hills and through ravines 
and valleys, yet their untiring and implacable foes fol- 
lowed on, evidently lessening the distance between them 
every moment. 

In that fearful flight, Campbell and the girl must have 
crossed the hills and struck the Aoway valley some two or 
three miles west of where Ponca is. Leaving the valley 
they again sought refuge among the hills and ravines toward 
the river. It appeared to be of little use however. The 
yells, tearing through the night air like the blood-curdling 
voices of infuriate demons, resounded nearer and nearer. 
After crossing Aoway valley the fugitives turned their course 
somewhat to the northeast, hoping they would be able to 
reach the banks of the river in the treacherous w^aters of 
which they deemed they would find far greater safety than 
in the hands of the miscreants behind them. Thus onward 
they sped, while gleaming knives and tomahawks flashed 
forward a warning of the bloody harvest soon to come. They 
struck the bluff overlooking the river, a few^ hundred yards 



278 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

east of what is now known as the Bigley ravine. Half a mile 
t<) their left was a small Indian hamlet, hut l)y its insignifi- 
cance it could afford them no protection, even if they were 
enal)led to reach it. Without pause they rushed down a 
narrow gully or water course at that point, in which a path 
now leads to the low land along the river. As they emerged 
from the ravine into the heavy timber below they heard the 
rush of their pursuers down the defile. 

Let us go back a little. A quarter of an hour before, a 
large party of keen-eyed Indian hunters accompanied by 
Mackenzie, returning from a trip along the river bank had 
ascended the same ravine. On reaching the top of the 1)luffs 
they saw in the distance the swiftly approaching fugitives, 
and heard the deadly yells of their pursuers. Resounding 
above all others was heard the terrible voice which they 
recognized as that of the much hated Mishtenewah. They 
saw the fugitives turning their steps toward the head of the 
ravine. Mackenzie and his Indian friends ({uickly formed 
their plans for vengeance on Mishtenewah and his l)an(l. 
They knew that down that ravine both pursued and pursuers 
would pass. With a grunt of satisfaction the hunters slipped 
noiselessly back into the thick brush overhanging the sides 
of the narrow gorge. The fugitives passed down, not dream- 
ing of friends and almost worn out by their desperate 
exertions and expecting death in a few moments more. 

Suddenly, above the yells of the furious Mishtene- 
wah and his band, were heard other shouts, the twanging of 
1)ow-strings, the w^hizzing of arrows and tomahawks, and all 
the crash and din of a deadly conflict. The roar of Macken- 
zie's gun as it reverberated through the forest w-as to Canii)- 
bell the sweetest music. Mackenzie and the hunters had 
(juickly prepared an ambush for theirenemies. They arrayed 
themselves along the sides of the ravine, and when Mish- 
tenewah and his warriors entered, and down which they 
could only go in single file, they fell upon them with fearful 
rage and slaughter. In ten minutes the battle was over. 
Not one escaped. All were dead and dying except some 
fifteen ortwenty who were taken prisoners, their lives being 
spared solely for another and more dreadful tragedy. 
Among these was Mishtenewah. The next day, with the 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 379 

torturing ceremonies then customary among Indian tribes 
toward their enemies, the prisoners were burned at the 
stake. 

In the joy of once more meeting his brother Scot, Camp- 
bell did not forget the beautiful young squaw. He was duly 
married to her according to the Indian rites and customs, 
and it is to be hoped their lives passed smoothly and happily. 
About a year after this occurrence, Mackenzie went with a 
party of hunters far to the north, and his friend never saw 
him again. As for Campbell, he now remained willingly, 
and conforming to Indian customs and dress, soon became 
chief of the tribe. Here, under his wise administration his 
tribe prospered and remained until the year 1S14, when the 
tide of Indian wars drifted them far away to the northwest 
beyond the Yellowstone valley. 

This story is referred to in one of the early chapters of 
this book, where, as will be recollected, the mound is de- 
scribed in which the bones of Mishtenewah and those burned 
with him are supposed to have been buried. 



280 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



THE SACKED ROCK OF THE ARAPAHOES. 

A Legend of the Ionia Volcano. 

More than a hundred years before the exploring expedi- 
tion of Lewis and Clark (whose visit to the so-called Ionia, 
volcano is referred to in Chapter IX), the country up and 
down the south l)ank of the Missouri for many days journey, 
was the dwelling place of a vindictive and powerful tribe 
know^n and dreaded as the most blood-thirsty nation of 
Indians between the Mississippi river and the Rocky 
Mountains. 

This warlike people, the progenitors of the present cruel 
and untamable Arapahoes of Wyoming, was ruled by 
hereditary chiefs, assisted by counsellors selected from their 
most successful warriors, and were described as having been 
tall, active, of prodigious strength, undaunted l)ravery and 
remarkable cruelty. 

Like the Aztecs of Mexico, from whom, doubtless, they 
had received in ages long before many of their customs and 
beliefs, they were lire worshipers, and sacrificed to the god 
of tire the sick, the aged and the inhrm of their own nation, 
and all prisoners taken during the wars which they 
were continually waging against their neighbors, and es- 
pecially against the unmerdus tribes across the river, who. 
under the genei-al name of Acoutahs (afterwards called 
Dakotahs), occupied the vast regions lying i)etvveen the 
Missouri and the LNmI Kixcr of the Xorth. 

Al)out two miles south of the place where in later years 
lias been seen the volcanic phenomenon referred to, was the 
capital town of the nation, vestiges of which were still visi- 
ble at the time of the visit of Lewis and Clark in 1805, the 
many excavations and mounds where the town had stood in- 
dicating that it had been of great size, covering indeed, 
several hundred acres. Here had dwelt the liereditary chief 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 381 

or king, whose simplest word was law from which there was 
no appeal, and who held anquestioned power over the lives 
of his subjects. 

Whatever the "Ionia Volcano'' may have been, the 
Indian tribes at that early time, and especially the snper- 
stitions Arapahoes, regarded its fires with awe and the 
region near it as sacred ground, over which, within certain 
limits, no one had the right to pass except the ruling chiefs 
and their medicine men. He whose boldness or folly led him 
to violate this decree, paid for his temerity with his life. 
This taboo, however, was removed every full moon, at which 
time all. the tribes might assemble around the volcano to 
witness the horrible sacrificial ceremonies there enacted. 

On these occasions the old and feeble w^ere dragged for- 
ward, the prisoners taken in battle and the squaws and 
children from conquered towns, and all were immolated 
with prolonged and merciless torture, to the deity whose 
immediate presence was supposed to be revealed in the lurid 
fiames and stifling vapors around them. 

A short distance to the west of the volcano and within 
the limits of the tabooed precinct, stood an immense rock, 
which, from its description, must have towered several 
hundred feet toward the sky, a vast square fortress in ap- 
pearance and visible at a great distance. The rock was 
honey-combed by numerous passages, caused by the action 
of water ages before when an ocean covered all this 
country. One of the passages led to a large and lofty cavern 
which nature had in like manner hollowed out in the in- 
terior of the rock. 

Here, say the old legends, on a stone platform or altar 
rudely built by the Indians, the preliminary ceremonies and 
torturings of the unhappy victims took place before they 
were consigned to the embraces of the more merciful fires of 
the volcano. 

At the time of the visit of Lewis and Clark this great 
mountain of stone had disappeared and the place where it 
was said to have stood was occupied by a marshy pond- 
When inquiry was made as to what had become of it, the 
bravest warriors would tremble with awe as they related the 
gloomy legend, that, a thousand years before, the Great 



282 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Manitou had been angry; that his voice had been heard like 
the roll of many thunders, and that in his wrath he had 
crushed the rock into the earth. 

Such a phenomenon would at this day be regarded as 
merely one of the results of a tremendous earthquake — most 
interesting, but nothing supernatural, yet, among the ignor- 
ant and superstitious savages it would naturally be consid- 
ered as a special sign of vengeance of an outraged deity. 
To this cause, the destruction of their sacrificial temple, is 
attril)uted the flight of the greater portion of the tribe im- 
mediately after the catastrophe to the far west, leaving for- 
ever a home which they deemed as accursed by the Great 
Spirit. 

Among the present Arapahoes (the descendants of those 
who thus migrated), the "Legend of the Great Rock" is 
remembered, recounting the disaster which drove their 
ancestors from their former fertile plains to the sterile 
mountains of Wyoming. According to this Arapahan le- 
gend, many hundred years ago. their nation, as yet not driven 
from its home near the Missouri, was in the height of its 
glory and strength. Their warriors were as numerous as the 
blades of grass, and di.sgraced. indeed, was he who could not 
count his years by the number of scalps upon his shield. 

Then ruled Kah-da-che-gha, whose name (signifying 
"The Bloody Hand.") carried terror to his enemies. For 
many seasons his braves had been waging a war of concjuest 
and extermination against the Wapahas, a once strong tribe 
and one of the numerous families of the Acoutahs, whose 
towns were across the river and one or two days' journey 
to the north. 

Among the Wapahas were many warriors of distinguished 
valor whose backs were never seen by their foes, and who 
acting on the defensive, had held their enemies at bay during 
a long and fearful series of conflicts. At length, conquered 
and ov(>i--i-un after desperate resistance and nearly annih- 
lated. the captives taken were driven southward by tlie 
triumphant Kah-da-che-gha toward the capital town of his 
nation. 

Among the prisoners was a young warrior named Wa- 
che-pah, (or "Long Knife,") who had become renowned for 
his bravery and the numerous Arapahan scalps which deco- 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 383 

rated his girdle. Only taken when six of his assailants were 
slain, he eoiild, of conrse, expect no mercy from his enemies. 

After a weary march across the prairies, he was brought 
with his fellow captives to the Missouri, across which, swift 
and gaily decorated canoes speedilv conveyed them. They 
arrived at the town of the warlike Kah-da-che-gha most 
opportunely, for it w^anted but two days of the great full 
moon festivities, at which time, these prisoners, with many 
others,— the fruits of various raids during the past month 
-would be sacrificed and burned according to their ancient 
customs. 

The young captive, Wa-che-pah, well knew the fate which 
was in store for him and his fellow unfortunates, yet. with 
the stoicism of his nature, he looked forward to the approach- 
ing disgraceful tortures and death with indifference, nor 
would he have deigned to have asked for his life, even 
could he have obtained it by so doing. On the contrary he 
sought to improve the little time remaining to him, by re- 
counting to his enemies his many exploits against them, and 
l)ringing to their memories the long array of scalps which 
their nation had hitherto furnished to his knife. 

On the day before the sacrifices were to take place, as 
Wa-che-pah gazed upon the group of despondent captives 
he saw to his horror among them, two. whose lives he would 
have purchased by submitting to all the indignities which 
the ingenuity of Ka-da-che-gha and his tribe could invent. 
These two were his young brother and sister upon whom 
he had centered all his affection, and who, until this moment 
he had supposed to be in a place of safety, and now dis- 
covered them in the clutches of those whose mercy was only 
shown when they permitted death to seize the tortured vic- 
tims. 

When the young warrior saw the helpless children thus 
in the deadly toils of his enemies, he" sought out the chief and 
asked that which he would have scorned to have done for 
himself, namely, that their lives might be spared. Such a 
request was an act of folly, which, on cooler reflection, he 
would never have humbled himself to commit, for sooner 
might he have expected mercy from the hungry wolf of the 
prairies. 



284 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

In answer to the petition, the chief consented in part to- 
grant it, on conditions, however, in which were displayed 
a refinement of cruelty, most diabolical. He would 
spare one of the children, if Wa-che-pah, previous to 
his own death would act as the executioner of the other. 
As the price of his brother's life, Wa-che-pah, must inflict 
on his sister all the tortures to which he, himself, would 
afterwards be subjected. The young chief well understood 
the meaning of the terrible sentence thus pronounced. His 
hand would bestow the agonies of a thousand deaths. 
Eyes wrested from their sockets; the limbs slowly burned 
off by means of red-hot tiint-stone knives: the skin torn 
in strips from the body, which, after being immersed in 
boiling pitch, was to be hurled into the ever-burning fires of 
the volcano. 

Wa-che-pah heard the horrible and revolting proposition 
— cast his eyes around unavailingly for a friendly knife or 
tomahawk with which to visit vengeance on the dastard 
chief before him — and then, hoping to discover in the future 
some chance of escape for the sister he loved so well, con- 
sented. Leaving the presence of his vindictive enemy, Wa- 
che-pah again found himself wandering amid the groups of 
doomed captives. The sight of his brother and sister tilled 
his heart with despair. As to them, they were yet so young 
as to imperfectly realize the horror of their position, and as 
they saw their brother approaching, all dangers and priva- 
tions were forgotten. W^ith shouts of joy they Hung their 
arms about him. and with many caresses, implored him to 
take them back to their distant home. As he stood, listen- 
ing to the innocent and childish prattle whicli pierced liini 
like the stroke of a dagger, he moodily revolved in his mind 
their chances of escaping the doom which the next morn- 
ing's sun would reveal. 

Were there no means of escape? In all directions triple 
lines of ])ickets closely guarded them, and attempts to break 
through were vain indeed. At the north the battle- 
ments of the sacred mountain reminded him of the gloomy 
cavern, its dreadful altar, and the fate awaiting one at least 
of the innocent children who clung confidingly to him. 
Night came on. 'I'he savage guards closed about their vic- 
tims. For the last time they saw the moon ris<\ smiling in 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 385 

her fullness, pass over, and sink in the west. Dawn again 
appeared. Then, to the deafening sound of drums, and in 
the center of the death dance, in which thousands of war- 
riors participated, the captives were swept slowly forward, 
as by a resistless tornado, toward the grim rock and the 
fearful destiny which there awaited them. 

Clinging to Wa-che-pah, his young brother and sister went 
joyfully, thinking they were starting for their home again. 
About half way from the village to the place of sacrihce, 
Kah-da-che-gha appeared, arrayed in his barbaric war cos- 
tume, and carrying upon his hoop the numerous blood 
stained scalps which his hand had taken. At his command the 
revolving dance was stopped, and addressing Wa-che-pah, he 
renewed the fearful proposition of the day before, and 
asked him if on those terms he was prepared to save his 
brother. The agony of the young warrior at that moment 
before his enemy no tongue can portray. Yet. with a 
countenance apparently unmoved, he replied in the affirma- 
tive. Then the little brother, wondering, was torn hastily 
from his sister, and the savage dance recommencing, 
the captives were again urged toward their doom, now 
near at hand. "Darling of my soul." said Wa-che-pah to his 
sister, "listen to my words. Ourl)rother we will see no more 
until we meet him in the hunting grounds of our fathers. 
He will remain here a little while, but we shall go forw^ard 
before him." The sadness of his voice, more than his words, 
revealed to her the presence of some dread danger. "Let 
us then," continued he. "go joyfully- the Great Spirit and our 
fathers call us." 

Understanding for the first time his meaning, his sister 
realized that the revolving circle of dancing demons about 
them were conducting them to their death. With a 
shudder she pressed closer to her brother's side, thus mutely 
expressing her willingness to make the dread journey with 
him. The captives, slowly approaching tht- rock, were now 
within the shadows of the lofty pinnacles which towered 
above them, and in front of which, the chief and his medi- 
cine men had assembled. To the right, the dense smoke 
of the volcano revealed the god of fire in waiting to receive 
his victims. 



2SG HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Thus approaching the goal the orgies of the demoniac 
horde grew wikler. and as they swiftly rotated in their 
infuriate danee, the eaptives. deafened by the terrible yells 
which resounded on all sides, saw the air darkened with a 
rain of innumeral)le knives and stone axes which were 
hurled over their heads. This pastime of their enemies was, 
however, harmless, as such weapons were skillfully thrown, 
not to injure, but merely to extort signs of fear, and were 
but the prelude to the tragedy yet to follow. 

At a sign from the chief the chaos and uproar ceased, 
and the medicine men stepped forward to receive the pris- 
oners. These unhappy wretches, some of whom were squaws 
with frightened children clinging to them, were now ar- 
ranged in a close column and driven forward into the main 
entrance to the interior of the rock. 

At the head of the procession and leading his sister by 
the hand walked Wa-che-pah, to outward appearance fearless 
and undaunted, as became a warrior. Thus passing on they 
were soon assembled in the cavern, whose gloom was but 
partially dispelled l\v the torches and the fire upon the altar. 
Here were the knives with wdiich the cruel work was to be 
done— sharpened stakes for impalement, and upon the tire a 
stone caldron of seething pitch. Wa-che-pah, lifting his 
eyes from the appalling preparations before him, met the 
gaze of Kah-ta-che-gha, who, pointing to the trembling child 
at his side, ordered him to commence the torture. Thus 
brought face to face with the awful deed with which he was 
compelled to purchase life for his brother, the soul of the 
young warrior revolted. He grasped the knife, but instead 
of turning its glittering blade toward his sister, he hurled 
himself upon the chief with the fury of a thunderbolt. The 
rage and strength of a lifetime was concentrated in that 
moment, as he stabbed his fiendish enemy again and again, 
and hurled him, a scalpless corpse, among his followers. 

Animated by the desperate valor of the young warrior 
his fellow prisoners rushed upon their guards, from whom, 
wresting knives and tomahawks, they drove them from the 
cavern with the slaughtering fury of madmen. Dripping 
with the blood of his foes and uttering the war-whoop of his 
tribe, Wa-che-pah led forward the captive braves and after 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 287 

a conflict which choked the passage-way with dead, expelled 
their enemies from the rock. 

From the outside thousands, as they saw their temple 
thus desecrated by the slaughter of their friends, arose the 
yells of a fury which knew no bounds. But now, as though 
to stay the bloody carnival, a terrible manifestation held 
both sides aghast and pow^erless. The ground beneath them 
and the rocks above reeled and trembled as if the Great 
Spirit had smitten them with an angry hand. Far below 
was heard a roar like the concentrated thunders of a 
thousand years, and with a crash the earth was torn open 
and the great rock sank into the abyss and disappeared, con- 
signing living and dead to one common grav^e. 



288 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



INDIAN CRUELTY. 
The Murder of the Wiseman Children. 

Though Dixon county lia.s never since its settlement hy 
white people l)een niude the scene of Indian war and crnelty, 
yet near hy in the adj(Hnin«>- connty of Cedar the harbaroiis 
and cold-blooded nmrder of the Wiseman children hy the 
Indians took place in the snmmer of 18(i8. 

Henson Wiseman and his family had in "()(> or '(U taken a 
claim near the Missoni-i river on what is called ''Brookey's 
Bottom" in Cedar county and al)ont two miles from the 
Dixon connty line. His family consisted of his wife and hve 
children, viz.: Three sons aged respectively 17, S and 5 
years, and two danghters, 15 and 18. Mr. Wiseman's nearest 
neighbor was Mr. Brookey, who lived two miles away in 
Dixon connty, and another neighbor. Mr. Ames, lived abont 
three miles in an opposite direction, in Cedar county. Aside 
from these, Wiseman and family had no neighbors nearer 
than the village of St. James, some four or five miles distant. 

In IS()2 Wiseman enlisted in Company I. of the Second 
Nebraska Cavalry, and in the spring of '()o went up the 
river with his regiment to join Gen. Sully near old Fort 
Berthold, in the campaign against the Indians. Wiseman's 
absence left his wife and children entirely alone. They re- 
mained on the claim, and wdth the occasional assistance of 
their neighl)ors, Brookey and Ames, cnltivated their land 
and, aside from the loneliness of their location, were content, 
having no thought of danger. 

Aci'oss the river, however, and not many miles away, the 
Indians were brooding over imaginary troubles and dream- 
ing of wai'. They had hoaid of the massacre in Minnesota 
by the Santee Sioux, and their aml)iti(ui had therebv been 
aronsed to also sharpen their knives and gain a name and 
a rich collection of scal|)s. Wiseman's family did not real- 
ize the exposed and (hmgerous situation they were in. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 289 

Near the river aiul far away from neighbors, Indians might, 
if they saw fit, come at any time and perpetrate barbarity or 
murder. Unconscions of this danger the Wiseman family 
had no thought of leaving their claim, and indeed they were 
not molested for sometime after Wiseman went away. This 
security, unfortunately, was not lasting. 

One day in the summer of '(>8, Mrs. Wiseman went to the 
village of St. James to buy groceries, leaving the children at 
home. She started on horseback in the middle of the after- 
noon and expected to return before dark. But when at St. 
James a rain came up and she was delayed on account of it. 
and did not reach home until nearly nine o'clock in the 
evening. Supposing everything as safe as usual, she placed 
her horse in the stable and started toward the house. A 
few feet from the door she stumbled over the body of one of 
her sons. Frightened l)ut not yet realizing that a terrible 
tragedy had taken place, and thinking that her son had met 
with an accident, she rushed to the door to call for help. As 
she opened it she heard groaning within and other sounds 
which she thought were from Indians, whom she then imag- 
ined were in the room concealed by the darkness, and wait- 
ing after killing the children, for her to enter and meet the 
same fate. Terror-stricken and hardly knovving what she 
did she turned and ran to the road and thence toward 
St. James. The few miles were quickly passed, yet the time 
seemed an age. There she reported what she had seen and 
heard and implored immediate help. The people in St. 
James were frightened and slow in responding. In the ex- 
citement which ensued they believed the timber along the 
river contained a horde of savages who. in number, equalled 
the trees which concealed them. The news that Mrs. Wise- 
man had found her children murdered, traveled quickly, as 
evil tidings alw^ays do. 

Mr. Ames, the neighbor who lived three miles from Wise- 
man, was then at St. James and heard the story, and rushed 
home and taking his family into his wagon drove all night 
towards Ponca, reaching there before sunrise the next morn- 
ing. There he reported the massacre, and immediately, N.S. 
Porter and three others returned with Ames to the scene 
of it. When they arrived at Wiseman's they found the 



290 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

people of St. James had come and taken the children to 
that place. Of the five children, everyone was killed or 
fatally wounded. 

The following is the story of the murder as near as 
could be ascertained: 

It took place only a few minutes before Mrs. Wise- 
man arrived home that fatal evening, l)ut when she opened 
the door, she heard no Indians in the house. They were 
gone, and what she heard were the struggles and groans of 
her dying chihlren. Had it not been for the rain she would 
have been at home when the Indians came. Possibly that 
would have saved them, but probably she would have added 
one to the number of the slain. As was learned by the 
tracks in the mud. there were four Indians who participated 
in the massacre. When they entered the house, the oldest 
girl was churning, and they asked her for a drink of butter- 
milk. She handed them a dipper of it, when they struck her 
over the head, knocking her down, and it is to be merci- 
fully hoped, sen.seless. At about this time the oldest 
son, who had been hunting, returned and opened the door. 
Instantly he realized the situation and made a gallant defense 
of his sisters and younger brothers. He died hghting and his 
was the body wliich Mrs. Wiseman stumbled over in the yard 
on her return from St. James. The barrel of his gun was 
bent by the l)lows he had given his assailants. The eldest 
girl lived hve days but never spoke after she was found by 
her friends. Her person had been brutally outraged and 
mutilated, the back of her head crushed, a cartridge had been 
exploded in her mouth and an arrow pierced the lower part of 
her l)()dy, ijassing out above the hips. Though she lived five 
days she was unconscious. The youngest child, a boy of five 
years, lived three days. The other three were dead when 
found. 

The four Indians who committed this terrible crime were 
supposed to be Yankton or Santee Sioux. They came across 
from Dakota in a canoe, and after the murder they robbed 
the house and took a horse on which they loaded the plunder 
and swam it over the river. News of the murder was im- 
mediately sent to Sioux ('ity and a company which had 
recently been recruited there started out to capture the 
murderers if possible. They took their trail at the crossing 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 291 

at Wiseman's and followed it north until near Sionx Falls 
and there they lost it. The wretches who committed the 
deed were never caught. For anything known to the con- 
trary they may be at this moment posing as "good Indians" 
on some reservation. 

In a few weeks after the murder the news of it reached 
Wiseman at Fort Berthold. As soon as he heard it he went 
to Clen. Sully and told him what had occurred and asked for 
a furlough, and was humanely granted an indefinite leave of 
absence. He immediately started on horseback for home 
where in about ten days he arrived. It is said that on fully 
learning the fate of his children, he swore that he would 
kill every Indian who crossed his path. No one can blame 
him for the oath or for his justifiable vengeance during 
the thirty-three years that have passed since then. He has 
killed many and his name is a terror to them. But the four 
he has most wished to find he has never knowingly met. 
He and his wife still live where the tragedy occurred. 



2t)3 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



THE REALM OF FICTION, 

WITH AN OCCASIONAL FACT THROWN IN. 



THE BRAZILIAN TRAVELER AND THE NARROW 
GAUGE RAILROAD. 

A Twenty Year Old Parable Concerning Dixon County's. 
Narrow Gauge Railroad at that Time — Its Exam- 
ination BY Senor Algamonez and his Conclusions. 
Thereupon. 

[Those who read this old parable should, in order to fully 
understand and appreciate it, tirst read the chapter in this 
book entitled "Story of a Rascally J^ittle Railroad." This 
parable, though now somewhat out of date, will, perhaps, be 
enjoyed by old settlers who remember the time and road 
referred to.] 

In tlie summer of 77 Dixon county was visited by Senor 
R. de Algamonez, an illustrious savant, scholar and trav- 
eler from the ancient city of Penumblebuz, Brazil. Taking- 
shipping at Rio Janeiro, on the twenty-fifth day of -luly, he 
journeyed in the Brazilian war brig Physsle, to New Orleans, 
where he arrived August ISth. From thence, in the staunch 
steamer Watervvitch, he ascended tlie Mississippi to St. 
Louis, from whence in a Missouri river boat, the "Rii)roarer," 
he came up the Big Muddy and disembarking at the land- 
ing, walked from there into Ponca. 

The object of the visit of this distinguished Brazilian 
gentlenuin may l)e e\i)hi.iued in a very few words. It appears 
that divers disputes and differences of opinion having ari-en 
between the people of the counties of Dakota and Dixon on 
the one part, and the Covington, Columbus c^' Black Hills 
Railroad Company on the other, concerning the said road, 
its gauge, its management, etc., and desiring to settle all 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 393 

these matters harmoniously, it had in the early part of the 
summer been determined by a committee of citizens duly 
selected from said counties, that some good and unbiased 
person be appointed to examine with a vigilant and impar- 
tial eye into all the disputed questions, and upon such 
arbitration make due decision as to which of the contend- 
ing parties was in the right, which decision it was determ- 
ined should be binding (all courts to the contrary notwith- 
standing), in order that law suits might be avoided and that 
peace and good will might prevail. 

In looking around for such arbitrator it was found to be 
impossible to obtain him in Nebraska, as every man had 
formed an opinion, and hence could not act with the im- 
partiality which the importance and gravity of the case 
demanded. The committee then scoured other states for 
their arbitrator; they even went as far as California to hunt 
him, but there were none, not even the Chinese and Indians, 
but had heard about this railroad, and had made up their 
minds. In desperation the committee finally applied to the 
emperor of Brazil who at that time was traveling in the 
United States, and he after mediation, referred them to Senor 
Algamonez, and issued an order that said senor should im- 
mediately come and adjudicate in the matter. The order 
was forthwith transmitted to Brazil by steam balloon, and in 
obedience to such command, the senor started for this place 
at the time above stated. 

Hence it came about that at three o'clock one afternoon, 
this well known scholar walked into town, and as he had no 
time to spare, he declined all receptions and other tokens 
of respect from the citizens, and immediately proceeded to 
the business on hand, viz: To interview the road, its officers, 
etc., and we desire to say here that Senor A. was peculiarly 
well fitted to act in this matter impartially, as, although he 
had often read of railroads, he had never in his life before 
seen one. Thus at about 4:30 p. m. he crossed the bridge 
near Bigley's and soon was seen pacing down the valley 
east of town. As he moved forward he beheld before and 
around him a landscape unsurpassed in the gardens of the 
gods, and he felt assurancethatthis was the choicest region 
under the sun. p]verything seemed different from his native 
country, and the many improvements unfamiliar to him 



394 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

struck him with wonder and admiration, and he examined 
critically and carefnlly many things which a resident would 
have passed unoticed. As he walked along delighted with 
the pastoral beauty of the scene, he suddenly saw before him 
two tiny parallel strips of iron stretched along the valley, the 
sight of which hlled him with amazement, as he could not 
comprehend for what purpose they had been placed there. 
"What these little rods were designed for/' said the Senor^ 
''I am at a loss to understaiKl. Doubtless, however, some 
inexpensive yet pretty plaything, which perchance the in- 
habitants of this country have considerately and kindly 
provided for their children/' 

As he thus meditated, he suddenly heard from the east a 
feeble squeak, and saw a small cloud of white vapor which 
seemed to be rolling slowly toward him. On closer inspec- 
tion he saw through the smoke, what appeared to his unso- 
phisticated gaze, to be a gaily decorated, four wheeled boiler 
or wash pot, from whence came the smoke, and to which 
were attached several small covered carts. Such a singular 
scene, so different from anything he had ever heard of, in- 
duced him to postpone all further search for the railroad 
until he had investigated this gay and gallant little string of 
vehicles. He was touched also at the sight, and was almost 
moved to tears, for it reminded him of his home in distant 
Penumblebuz, and of his children who in their play made 
wagons out of strings and spools. 

"Tf I ever get home," said he as he wiped his eyes. 
"1 will take to my infants a whole box of just such nice little 
toys as these." 

Pausing in his walk, he waited until the phenomena 
aj^proached, then turning and walking leisurely along by the 
side of the gay train of wagons as they advanced at full steam 
up the valley, he found much pleasure in critically examining 
them, walking around them and stepping over them, to 
determine their magnitude, kneeling down and looking 
under them to see the wheels revolve, leaning over them in 
order to see both sides at once, and feeling of them tenderly 
with his hands lest something be dissarranged. 

It was in fact with great curiosity and satisfaction that he 
viewed the cavalcade rolling along, and in his ecstacy he ex- 
claimed in his native Ih'azilian Spanish, as was his custom 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 395 

when excited: "'Wha tan interna I'umb ng!" (Which being 
interpreted signified, "What a wonderful invention!") 

"These carriages," said he to himself, "must indeed afford 
infinite amusement to those who see them. And so inexpen- 
sive, too," and he laid his hand caressingly upon them. 

Then a fearfully heavy voice issued from the smoke, and 
was heard saying: 

"Sir, you mistake: this is not an inexpensive child's toy, 
but one which has cost Dixon county $87,000. It is the 
lightning express train on the C, C. & B. H. Narrow Gauge 
Railroad and T am the general manager thereof, and I will 
thank you to take your hand off the engine so that we can 
get along," 

"Ho le Mozees!" ejaculated the senor in astonishment. 
"And so it cost $87,000! Well, well! But even that is in- 
expensive if the dollars are as lilliputian as the railroad." 

"No," replied the gruff voice, "the dollars are of the 
standard gauge and are secured by bonds, which operate as 
a mortgage on all this fair county. Then we get $95,000 
more out of Dakota county. Then we have mortgaged the 
road tor $90,000 more, the whole amounting to $272,000 for 
Iniilding the road twenty-seven miles. Could you do better 
tlian that in Brazil? And it is a great thing for Dakota and 
Dixon counties. We carry their freight nearly as cheap 
as they used to haul it in common wagons, and passengers 
are conveyed at but a trifle in advance of the old fashioned 
price. People also have the fun of seeing this train run 
every day up and down the valley, and for the sight, in con- 
sideration of the $272,000. we don't at present make extra 
charge. Nor have we made so much as you might think in 
this enterprise. We have not saved to exceed $70,000 out 
of the $272,000 after building and equipping the road." 

"Verily," quoth the senor, "all this is wonderful to me. 
Ab igg rabb!" which, being interpreted, means that it "shows 
remarkable flnanciering." 

"But will you build it further this year?" continued the 
senor. 

"Yes," replied the voice, "we have the iron for eighty 
miles more: we also have the ties, and we are having our 
work done cheap, very cheap indeed." 



296 HISTORY OF DIXUN CUUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

"Where is this vast amount of iron and ties?" incjuived 
the senor. 

'"They will he found in the affidavit lately made hefore 
')udi>e Dillon in the case of Hubhell vs. The Company. 
But I must hurry along; good bye." 

As Senor Algamonez was returning toward Ponca after 
thus interviewing the railroad train and the general man- 
ager, he was so stricken with amazement at what he had 
seen and heard that he could not but reflect that it might 
be most expedient for him to throw up the commission 
which brought him here, and retire by the shortest route 
from the country. 

"And especially." said he. "do 1 desire once more to see 
my native land, for I have caught an idea that will make 
me rival the imperial Dom Pedro in riches. As soon as T 
get there I will set forth with my children and we will dig a 
furrow across the plain which lies l)etween the cities of 
Penumblebuz and Baradocia, and along the apex of the welt 
then made, we will stretch two slim spindles of iron, and 
thus we too will have a railroad. Allured l)y the wonderful 
invention which I will bring from Dixon and Dakota 
counties, Penumblebuz and Baradocia will hasten to vote me 
!)onds for |1S2.(>()(), and I will mortgage the road for $90,0(10 
more. Thus with my money and my road I will be rich. My 
brother Azbigasell shall be master mechanic, and he shall 
build and guide the little wagons whose wheels, like revolv- 
ing tiy specks, shall bowl along. My cronies, Toda and Lick- 
mishoe, and also my |)rogeny, shall stand around and see 
that the peons l)uild the track and bi-idges. and shall also see 
that they do the work for nothing, for 1 cannot afford to pay 
out the money 1 shall earn with such hard thought. As for 
me, I will be the General Manager." Thus meditating, he 
noticed a heavily laden freight car standing on the switch at 
Ponca depot and stopped to examine it. 

"This tiny and fragile shell." said the senor. "is neverthe- 
less as neat and commodious as the hollow of my hand. My 
l)rother Azbigasell shall build me several of these. The 
temjjtation comes strong upon me, born doubtless of my new 
views of life since my interview with the General Manager, 
to appropriate and carry off this little box. Yet greatly as I 
desire to pocket it. 1 will resist the thought. 1 might have 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 397 

to throw out its load of grain, and (lod forbid that I should 
waste even a kernel of corn, much less these several quarts 
of good wheat, and thereby deprive some poor fellow of a 
meal." 

As he turned regretfully away from the temptation, he 
again heard in the distance the shrieks of the little train, 
whose quivering squeals pathetically reminded him of the 
little pigs that played about the streets of Penumblebuz. 

On his return to Brazil a few weeks after, Senor Algamo- 
nez went into the business of railroad building, taking as a 
pattern the road he had seen. 

It may be of interest if we relate how the senor succeeded 
in his undertaking. 

Penumblebuz and Baradocia are. as is well known, 
situated in a remote part of Brazil, wherein, hitherto, no 
railroad had been built. Hence, when the senor after his 
return home, suggested such an enterprise, the citizens of 
that country were greatly delighted, and especially were they 
pleased to think that the road would be continued to the 
rich mining and lumber region of Terra Del Fuego. thereby 
opening an avenue of trade and commerce, establishing 
jiiarkets for produce, etc. 

Baradocia immediately voted $87,000 in bonds and 
Penumblebuz voted $90,000. to be paid when the road was 
completed between those places. As the distance across the 
plains between the two towns was not great, (about twenty 
miles,) this large amount in bonds was encouraging, as it 
was more than sufficient to complete the work. Yet to 
make the road surely successful in a financial point of view, 
the senor before commencing work, mortgaged it for $4,500 
per mile. Thus he had an abundance of means wherewith 
to triumphantly carry out this great project of internal 
improvement, and hence set to work with a cheerful heart. 
He employed all the men and teams within a two day's 
journey to come and work, and they shoveled and dug, and 
with so much industry and diligence that in a short time a 
ridge of dirt was developed across the plain. Then a vast 
number of little sticks w^ere hauled in and laid upon the 
apex of the ridge. Then many pounds of iron in long strips 
were nailed upon the sticks in two parallel lines some three 
feet apart, thus forming the track. Then a whole wagon 



398 H18TORY UF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

load of engines and cars were brought and planted on the 
track. Then the whistles of the engines tooted, the bells 
rang and the people shouted for joy, and they said: "Behold 
the Narrow Gauge! Lo, the Penumblebuz, Baradocia &■ 
Terra Del Fuego Railroad is a success." 

In his business excitement the senor omitted (uninten- 
tionally) to pay those who had dug up the ground for him» 
who had hauled dirt in wagons, who had brought in and 
laid down the little sticks and who had furnished the iron^ 
the engines and cars. But he was reminded of these slight 
omissions when the bills were presented. From the bills it 
appeared that the entire charges for all these matters 
amounted to about $75,000. The senor could, of course, have 
paid that amount readily, for the bonds from the towns and 
the mortgage on the road, had realized $274,500. Hence 
after paying the $75,000, he would have nearly $200,000 left, 
and he would also have the road, which he very properly 
estimated to be worth something. At least the track had 
some market value, even if he considered it as no more than 
old iron. 

But the senor wisely concluded that even if he were 
making a good thing out of the enterprise, it was no sign 
that those who furnished the iron, ties and labor should 
charge the exorbitant sum of $75,000 therefor, consequently 
he very properly refused to pay a cent of it. 

When the ungrateful people who had been blessed with a 
railroad, tried to force him to pay, he put all his property 
into the hands of his brother Asbigasell, rather than sulunit 
to extortion. Thus we perceive that virtue triumphs in 
Brazil as well as in this country! 

Then those who held the mortgage foreclosed the same, 
a receiver was ap])(>inted to take the road, and the senor 
went into banki-uptcy, broke down and with the money 
safely buttoned in his pockets, retired like a persecuted 
martyr from a remorseless country! Such is the brief 
history of the P., B. & T. 1). F. R. R." 

After these vicissitudes the senor again came to this 
country where thereafter he proposed to reside and en- 
gage in the construction of railroads. He contem]ilated 
locating at some center of vast enterprises of that kind and 
join in the w^ork with other capitalists of like ambition. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 299 

"We will," said the senor, "combine our intelligence and 
capital, and will build (or at least we will promise to build) 
railroads for those localities which will vote bonds to us. 
We will, perchance, form a society, which for its great use- 
fulness and beneficence, will be handed down to posterity 
under the distinguished name of 'Unh ung swind lers,' 
(which being interpreted from the Brazilian signifies, 'A 
confederation of narrow gauge magnates.' ) Thus honored and 
prosperous in this world, we shall in the next be entitled to 
fill comfortal)le stations in that radiant clime where cold 
weather never penetrates." 



DIXON COUNTY'S CAVES. 

And Professor Perrigoue's Remarkable Discoveries of Pre- 
historic Vegetation and Animals Therein. 

The story of Dixon County's alleged great caves and the 
marvellous discoveries there about twenty years ago by Pro- 
fessor Jeremiah Perrigoue, will to most readers be found 
more interesting than an unromantic journey through a dry 
and unembellished routine of facts and figures. 

Jeremiah Perrigoue came to Ponca in '75, and for several 
years dug wells and ditches, and when he had leisure hunted 
in the rocks and bluffs along the river for uiinerals and fos- 
sils, desiring to find gold, silver or coal; or if he could not 
strike a deposit of such valuable minerals he hoped at least 
to unearth a plesiosaurus as Mr. Brewer had done some years 
before. By the aid of an old l)ook on geological formations 
and the aucient gigantic vegetation and animals that once 
were on the earth, he accumulated a long list of jaw- 
breaking names like Thascolotherium, Ichthyosaurus, 
Pterodactyl. Lepidodendron, Dinotherium, Giganteum and 
others, and though he could not talk very learnedly about 
those ancient v'egetable and animal productions he certainly 
could discourse glibly coucerning them, (and probably with 
as much knowledge of what he was talking about as the ma- 
jority of mankind) and about the cretaceous and carboni- 
ferous ages and the old red sandstone and Potsdam periods, 
as familiarly as though he had been well acquainted with 
them all his life. 

During the summer of '76, some parties dug a large hole 



300 HlSTiJRY OF DIXOM COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

near Ponca landinj^- for the purpose of finding coal. The 
shaft was four feet in diameter and was sunk to a depth of 
eighty-five feet, when becoming discouraged and out of 
money to continue tlie work, the parties abandoned the enter- 
prise. Mr. l^errigoue, whose geological researches along the 
l)luffs had given him the name of "professor," was one of the 
workmen, and when the shaft was abandoned he assumed pos- 
session of it and proposed to make further investigations on 
his own hook. 

A few days after, he appeared in town and announced 
that he had made some marvellous discoveries, and had 
passed through experiences so incredible and astonishing 
that he hesitated about telling them. He said that during 
the greater part of two days, he had been at least a thousand 
feet under ground and had traveled miles and miles through 
a great net work of lofty caverns. If his story were true, 
one would l)e led to believe that Dixon County was above 
an immense, petrihed, primeval forest of the carl)oniferous 
age, in which were trees fifteen to forty feet in diameter, 
and the fossil remains of many of the ancient organic beings 
of that period. Animals which, in everything excepting life, 
appeared as natural as when they were on earth a million or 
more years ago. 

The story of his subterranean travels and discoveries as 
he related it. was indeed wonderful. If he did not actually see 
what he claimed, he might have dreamed it, or if he did not 
dream he may have been overcome l)y an unharnessed imag- 
ination run wild. But here it is. sulistantially: 

While the shaft above referred to was being dug. Prof. 
Perrigoue said he noticed that the workmen were greatly 
troul)led in their digging by water, yet when they had pene- 
trated tf) a depth of about BO feet the water suddenly disap- 
peared. This phenomenon was precisely what happened in 
that vicinity a few years before when Mr. Wernimont was 
l)()ring for coal. Ketlecting on this. Prof, Perrigoue came to 
the conclusion that the leakage was caused by a fissure in 
the rock communicating with some opening beneath and 
possibly with a cavern of greater or less dimensions. 

Animated by this hope, he set to work after the shaft had 
been a))andoned l)y the others, and determined to make a 
thorough examination of it. As he descended to the bottom 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 301 

of the shaft, S5 feet, he carefully examined its sides, (the 
last forty feet of which were in a rock formation) and he dis- 
covered a long, narrow seam extending from the bottom up- 
ward a distance of twenty-tive feet or more, through which 
had escaped the water referred to. Near the bottom of 
the shaft he was enabled by a miner's pick to easily enlarge 
the crevice to the distance of a few feet, the rock being soft 
and porous, and to his joy he saw the seam had widened to 
such an extent that no further labor was required to pass 
through it. The direction of the crevice was northeasterly 
and descended at an angle of about 50 degrees. 

Carefully groping his way along in the dim light of a 
miner's lamp, he had entered the passage not to exceed two 
hundred yards when his route turned sharply to the left and 
a most startling scene met his gaze. He saw a vast cavern 
beneath, through the roof of which opened the crevice he 
had followed. This subterranean world was pervaded by a 
weird and ghostly light coming from whence he knew not 
but the cause of which he afterwards ascertained. 

The roof of the cavern was supported by an innumerable 
numl)er of what appeared to be immense stone columns of 
great diameter at the base. He noticed that these columns 
were not stalactites, which, as one may say, start from the 
roof and grow downward; but were larger at the floor and be- 
came smaller as they ascended. In this as well as in other 
respects, they resembled trees; thus, frequently a column at 
the height of a few^ hundred feet became divided into many 
smaller branches, and would finally be lost in what a slight 
stretch of imagination would picture as an ocean of foliage, 
now, how^ever, by the process of petrifaction, turned to stone, 
and forming the roof of the cavern. 

On descending to the floor of the cavern, which he easily 
did l)y means of the petrified foliage, he found that the mas- 
sive columns were, indeed, fossil trees, probably the lepidod- 
rendra and the sigillaria, which are often found in coal forma- 
tions, and were gigantic in size, from 500 to 800 feet high, 
and most prolific in foliage. Hence he concluded that he 
was in an ancient petrified forest, and he naturally inquired 
how it was possible that this vast primeval growth of enor- 
mous trees and magnificent foliage could have been thus 
buried so far below the visible w^orld. and by what freak, 



302 HIHTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

nature had planted and sustained upon their tops the rocks 
and hills of Dixon Count}'. 

From these reflections, coupled with the knowledge of 
the assertions of ge()h)gists as to the different formations of 
this country, he came to a conclusion, which, although in 
some respects at variance with geological theories, is proh- 
ably the only one by which the phenomena can be accounted 
for. His opinion was that ages ago w^hen this immense 
forest grew and flourished, the floor of the cavern was the 
surface of the earth. That the great inundation spoken of 
by geologists a'< having occurred during or shortly after the 
carboniferous period, covered the forest to the topmost 
l)ranches, and that this beautiful and fertile country was 
overwhelmed by a great inland sea, sweeping down from the 
north with vast force, and bearing upon the surface of its 
rapid current, great masses of ice, earth and even rocks, 
which, hnding a small lodgment at first upon the top of the 
forest, was added to year by year during the countless ages 
of the flood's continuance, until where once was a wide 
waste of water, the fair hills and valleys of Dixon County, 
rose in all their beauty like Venus from the foam of 
the ocean. But the foundation beneath was sound and 
secure, the same power that planted ()0() feet of rocks and 
earth upon its to}), transformed the forest and its foliage 
into the hardest Hint, upon which a much greater weight 
could rest with safety. Then when the flood passed away, 
it left the ancient forest as Professor Perrigone now found 
it. 

From this theory he deduced other conclusions, viz: If 
this were once a forest, he would find within it the petrifica- 
tions of the ancient gigantic animals which made it their 
home. Should he not find them, too, as perfect in their pre- 
servation as were the trees and plants about him? Ani- 
mated by these thoughts, he resolved to explore the cavern 
to the utmost. To determine his exact direction he exam- 
ined his pocket compass, but to his annoyance he found that 
the needle would no longer work with precision, and he was 
led to believe that large beds of iron ore were in that 
vicinity. The compass being no longer a safe guide it was 
necessary to move with caution, lest he lose himself in the 
vast solitudes and never be able to make his wav out to the 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 303 

upper world. Therefore, critically observing hi.s where- 
abouts as he proceeded, he moved slowly forward. As he ad- 
vanced, the light, which he had noticed at first, became 
more and more brilliant and he had accomplished 4,000 
paces (about two miles), when the scene was lit up as by 
a noon-day sun. 

In the meanwhile he noticed many other proofs that this 
was an ancient forest. Clumps of smaller trees, bushes, 
vines, etc., were seen in all directions, and he could hardly 
realize that they were petrifications, so natural and perfect 
did they appear. The ground (or rather rock), upon which 
he walked, was nearly level, yet he wa^ greatly annoyed by 
the broad leaved petrified grass, which ran up like so many 
sword blades, and rendered his journey not only difficult, but 
extremely dangerous. The grass upon which the Mammoths, 
Mastodons, Dinothera and other monsters of old had pastur- 
ed, would not naturally be of a rank growth in a dense 
forest like this, yet he noticed many of the stalks were fif- 
teen to twenty feet high. 

As he struggled slowly forward througli tlie stony net- 
work of vines and tangled grasses, he fortunately came to 
what seemed to have been a broad and well defined path, on 
which he found he could travel with comfort and safety, and 
which in the prehistoric ages had doubtless been the tramp- 
ing ground of the denizens of the forest. In this path he 
noticed several footprints, unlike anything he had ever seen 
before, some of them of a very great size. One of them, es- 
pecially, was so exceedingly large that he measured it, and 
found its diameter to be a little over four feet. The steps of 
this old prehistoric king were about thirty-seven feet apart. 

A little further on a very interesting sight met his gaze. 
Over a clump of small trees or bushes, which did not exceed 
125 feet in height, a mass of vines had grown. Upon these 
he saw vast numbers of berries of a beautiful red color, 
which, mingled with the dark green of the leaves, presented 
a very attractive appearance. These berries were from ten 
inches to two feet in diameter, and the leaves from six to 
eight feet long, and about half that in width. Very tiny 
specimens indeed, of the age of gigantic vegetation. So per- 
fect did this charming bower of vines appear, that at first he 
was almost constrained to believe that here was something 



1 



304 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

which had escaped the general curse of fossilization. Upon 
one of the berries which had fallen to the ground, he noticed 
a petrihed worm ahout twenty inches long, whose depreda- 
tions on this particular berry had, a million years ago, caused 
it to fall before its time. 

More closely viewing this natural ar])or of fruits and 
vines he saw upon one of the branches, a bird, which in 
many respects, resembled a gigantic pigeon; round smooth 
head, short Init broiid wings, and in color a dark blue, and 
which in its day was doubtless deemed a beautiful and 
peaceable songster. Its height was about five feet. 

A little way below this bird, was another winged denizen 
of the forest. Its body was small, not to exceed six feet in 
length, but it had a head nearly as long and as large as its 
body. Its powerful jaws, filled with long sharp teeth, gave 
it a most forbidding aspect. It had four feet and broad 
memliranous wings, from which the professor concluded 
that this was the terrible and ferocious winged reptile of the 
Tertiary period, known as the Pterodactyl, the fossil remains 
of one of which he had seen in Chicago, and this there- 
fore he readily recognized. This cruel reptile had evidently 
been laying in wait for the bird over his head with intent 
to devour it, when the flood sweeping down had destroyed 
both, and turned them and all their surroundings to imper- 
ishable stone. 

Having sufficiently viewed these relics of a buried age, 
the professor passed onward, following the old beaten path 
as before. He was now about two miles from the place of 
entrance. As he advanced, he noticed directly before him 
what he at first supposed to be a lofty mound. He ap- 
proached it. feeling assured that here was some new wonder, 
nor was he mistaken. Before him was the monarch of the 
forest, the same old Mastodon or Dinotherium, whose tracks 
had hitherto excited his attention. In shape, the monster 
somewhat resembled an elephant; it was l)uilt heavily and 
clumsily, but instead of two tusks it had four, and its mouth 
was armed with formidal)le teeth, from two to three feet 
long. In length it measured about IMI feet, its breadth 84 
feet, and its height when standing must have been not less 
than 00 feet. Its trunk. 85 feet in length, measured 12 feet 
in diameter at its base, and tapered gradually to its end. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 305 

The tusks were from IS to 2() feet long. The eyes of this 
monster, three feet across, seemed to scan their visitor with 
such an appalling glare, that all his fortitude and philosophy 
were required to restrain him from turning and fleeing from 
the fearful presence. 

Moving forward, the professor soon found himself upon 
the bank of a narrow, subterranean river. In the distance, 
and at a point inaccessible to him, a broad sheet of water 
fell with a deafening roar from the roof into the river below. 

He was here enabled to ascertain the cause of the bril- 
liant illumination of the cavern. High up in the roof and 
apparently not far from the source of the stream, was a 
fracture, through which rays of sunlight, reflected from the 
rocks above, were thrown with great brilliancy upon the 
waterfall, which thus blazed like a great curtain of fire. 
How the light could be thrown down such a distance and 
produce a result of such remarkable brilliancy, he was at a 
loss to comprehend. Yet of such being the fact, he had 
optical evidence. 

As he was meditating on this and on the other wonders 
he had that day seen, he noticed that the waterfall was 
becoming more and more dim, and in a short time the light 
totally disappeared, leaving him with but his lamp to illumi- 
nate the solitude. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was 
sundown, and l)eing \ery tired, he camped upon the bank of 
the river for the night. 

At six o'clock the next morning, he noticed a faint light 
npon the waterfall, indicating the hrst blush of dawn in the 
world above. In a short time the light increased, until at 8 
o'clock the waterfall gleamed as brightly as the day before. 
Then he arose, ate breakfast and drank from the river, and 
pursued his investigations. 

Wandering along the bank, he noticed a little thicket a 
few paces back, through the matted foliage of which he dis- 
covered another remarkable petrifaction. It was a huge 
animal, resembling a sloth, only vastly larger. Its length 
was 24 feet and was about 14 feet high. It had a large body 
and strong legs; its head w^as round or nearly so, and in its 
solid jaws were planted a double row of massive teeth. It 
had four legs, and on its feet were three immensely long and 
powerful claws or fingers. A broad tail, resembling in shape 



306 HISTORY 0¥ DIXUN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

an oar blade, but of amazing length, swept the ground for 
15 or 20 paces. The appearance of this huge beast indicated 
that it was not carnivorous, but was designed to make its 
home among the liranches of the trees, the bark and 
leaves of which furnished it food. The professor concluded, 
and doubtless correctly, that this was the ancient Megathe- 
rium, whose gigantic fossil remains are often found in the 
Tertiary period of the Mamallion age. 

A little further, he came to what resembled a turtle. It 
had an ol)long tlattish body, was about ten feet long and 
stood some hve or six feet high. It was covered with scales 
and was equally at home on land or in water. It had eyes 
of most malignant expression, and teeth which when it lived 
would have made it a very unpleasant acquaintance. 

Pursuing his investigations down the river, the professor 
next came to where several enormous reptiles had been 
caught by the flood and all destroyed while in the very act 
of a desperate battle. He counted three of these formidable 
carnivorous animals, two of which were plesiosaura and 
seemed to have been united in giving battle to the third, an 
ichthyosaurus of an amazing size. All of them were lizard 
like in shai)e. the ichthyosaurus was, however, three or four 
times as large as the plesiosaurus. The ichthyosaurus was 
in length about ()() paces, or about ISO feet, and in all its pro- 
portions was the most enormous of anything he had yet 
seen. The jaws of this monster, 60 feet in length, and armed 
with a fearful array of powerful fangs, would, when expand- 
ed, have compassed and crushed within them at one gulp 
half the buildings of Ponca. In this battle with his more 
feeble adversaries, he was evidently on the offensive. The 
necks of the plesiosaurans he held crushed in his jaws, and 
there, mangled and dying, these reptiles had in their agonies, 
torn up the earth as by the shock of an earthquake. 

From the scene of this fearful conflict, the professor now 
found another path leading back into the forest. As he re- 
resumed his walk he could not forbear reflecting on the 
littleness and insigniflcance, not only of mankind but of 
all things now living, animal and vegetable, when compared 
with the tremendous creations surrounding him. The tiny 
flowering plants of the upper earth, were magnifled a thous- 
and fold. The insignificant tadpole species, here became 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 307 

salamandroids, with round bodies six feet in diameter, while 
in place of the harmless lizard he beheld what he recognized 
as the magalosaurus and iguanodon, BO to 1)0 feet long, and 
whose powerful tails would at one sweep overthrow the 
largest trees and rocks of our day. 

In an open glade he saw collected a number of enormous 
beasts and reptiles, the names of which he found no difficulty 
in determining. Among them, he recognized the dinotherium, 
an animal whose height was thirty feet, while its body 
was three times that in length, with a girth of least eighty 
feet. The ferocious aspect of this monstrosity of nature, the 
malignant and baleful glare of its eyes, its tusks, sharp as 
swords and of such an amazing length that sixty feet could 
be measured between their points, and more than all, the 
vast strength displayed in its trunk, fifty feet long and thirty 
feet around it at the base — made a spectacle which would 
have struck terror to a heart less stout than that of Prof. 
Perrigoue. 

The lifelike appearance of the different petrifactions was 
startling, and could hardly be accounted for by any known 
laws of nature. The color, the hair, even the expressions of 
countenance, were so perfect, that one could with difficulty 
believe that these animals only existed a long series of ages 
ago. 

Near by, the professor also saw the paleotherium, another 
immensely large and strong beast, the progenitor in remote 
ages of the hippopotamus and rhinoceros, and even, as is 
claimed by some, of the tapir and hog, but unlike them in 
its extraordinary size, being eighteen feet high when standing 
erect, with a body proportionately large and of a length not 
less than forty feet. Here, also, were several species of the 
saurian tribe, and to the left, were a group of horned serpents 
and winged frogs. One of the latter, measured by the pro- 
fessor, was found to be thirteen and one-half feet high. 
Pursuing his way, the professor next entered a portion of the 
forest which seemed to combine the brilliant splendors of the 
tropics with a grandeur and magnificence, rarely to be seen 
on the upper earth. On either hand, the towering trees were 
almost hidden by their luxuriant foliage and the innumera- 
ble vines and plants which, creeping upward by a myriad of 
convolutions, had woven themselves together, and overhead 



308 HISTORY OF DIXOJM COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

had formed a perfect arl)i)r. Through this dense growth of 
vegetation, by some ciirious freak of nature, opened a wide 
avenue. As the professor walked along it, he gazed with 
admiration upon the choice and many colored fruits and 
flowers on either hind. Amid the variety of fruit he recog- 
nized none as belonging to this age, except the grapes, which 
hung in great abundance and in clusters of such size that a 
single one would have weighed him down, Sh)wly he 
traversed this romantic pathway, drinking in the l)eauty of 
the scene, and it was with great difficulty he could realize 
that all these regal splendors were but the petrifactions of 
existence in the earth's infancy. 

After a walk of several miles through these scenes, the 
professor returned toward the river and at night found him- 
self again on the bank, where he slept on the camping ground 
of the night before. The next morning he deemed it proper 
to leave the cavern, his provisions being nearly exhausted, 
proposing, however, to revisit it again, and l)ring away, if 
possil)le, some of the fossils which there aljounded. He 
therefoi'e retraced his steps, regaining with some difficulty, 
the crevice in the rocks l)y which he had descended. From 
here, after resting himself a short time and making a hnal 
survey of the great cavern he was leaving, he started for the 
outer world. In the passage leading up to the shaft he 
noticed that the air was becoming very impure. In the 
h)wer cavern he had not been trouljled by hre damp, l)ut in 
this upper passage, it seemed exceedingly and dangerously 
prevalent. Ashe passed on, he saw that the air inside of the 
gauze covering to his lamp had taken lire. The safety 
lamps of coal mines, when properly constructed, can be 
easily regulated, and if the air takes hre within the laniit. it 
can l)e i-eadily extinguished; l)ut in this liome-made lamp. 
Professor P. found it impossible to extinguish the Mame. He 
knew that in a few minutes at least, the protecting wires 
would become red hot, then melt, and an explosion would oc- 
cur which would inevitably bring the roof down upon him 
and bury him alive. With horror, he hurled the lamp from 
him. and fled as fast as possible. So rapid were his motions 
that in five minutes at most, he passed from the crevice into 
tiie shaft and from thence to the upper world again. As he 
emerged from the shaft the roar of the explosion greeted 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 309 

his ears. He immediately examined to ascertain what dam- 
age, if any, had been done by the explosion, and he fonnd 
that though what dirt had been thrown into the shaft could 
easily be taken out again, the worst calamity resulting had 
been the settling of the rocks and the closing of the fissure 
through which he had eutered, and possibly throughout its 
entire length. Greatly disappointed at this disastrous con- 
clusion of his adventures, he came up to town as stated at 
the commencement of this narration and made report of his 
discoveries. 

VOLCANIC PHENOMENA. 

Thrilling Adventures of a Party of Scientists While 
Making Investigation. 

The story of Prof. Perrigoue's discoveries a few pages 
back, and this one about the Ionia volcano, are samples of 
what old settlers sometimes amused themselves with. They 
have all been forgotten in late years. As to the volcano, 
that as well as the pretty village of Ionia, were long ago 
washed out by the Missouri, and the memory of them alone 
remains. 

In 1876 and 1877 there was much talk and many theories 
in relation to the phenomena that were seen near Ionia, 
known as the "volcano." A great many people went there 
to see it, and returned home no wiser than before. They 
saw a burning hill which threw oft' intense heat and suffo- 
cating fumes and in the darkness of night glowed like a 
great bed of tire, but the cause of it was a mystery, and 
aside from the explanation given by Prof. Aughey, is as much 
of a mystery now as it was then. It is not likely there was 
anything about it resembling a volcano, yet some insisted 
that it was one, and in corroboration, claimed that occasion- 
ally sounds could be heard beneath the surface, and that at 
such times, steam would escape from the crevices, and dirt 
and even stones be thrown up. 

Among those whose curiosity gave them a desire to visit 
and see the alleged volcano, were three gentlemen from 
Iowa, Messrs, Vance, Andrews and Brown. They came up to 
Ponca from Sioux City one afternoon late in the fall of '77. 
and the next morning employed Mr. Green of the livery 



310 HiHTOKY OF DIXUJN COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

lirm of (ireen A: Palen to take them to the scene of mystery. 
As tlie gentlemen had with them a number of scientific 
instruments, such as a compass and chain, several long, 
diamond-pointed drilling rods, a thermometer, etc., curiosity 
was considerably aroused as to who they were and the 
cause of their visit. It was said by some that they were 
railroad engineers; others maintained they were a party 
of land hunters, while others on seeing the drilling 
apparatus, affirmed that the strangers w^ere prospecting for 
coal. A facetions surmise was, that one of them, a tall, hue 
looking gentleman with a slightly foreign cast of count- 
enance, was the Brazilian Traveler; that another, a short, 
energetic man, was Gen. Manager Davenport, of the C. C. & 
B. H. R. R., and that the intellectual appearance of the 
third, denoted Prof. Jones of New York. All joking aside, 
however, the gentlemen really bore the commonplace names 
above mentioned and were not known to fame l)y anything 
remarkable. A natural diffidence about exposing to the 
public the object of their visit, led them to be reserved and 
reticent. After a trip which lasted three days the party 
returned from Ionia and the next morning took the train 
for Sioux City. 

Out of this little expedition to see the Ionia volcano, grew 
various stories, and the numerous yarns, aided and added to 
by the imagination of the tellers, made out that the gentle- 
men in question had made some very important discoveries 
and in doing so, had passed through many exciting ad- 
ventures. In due time a few of these stories were collected 
together and boiled down and their differences harmonized 
as much as possible and the result was a narrative probablv 
no more improbable than the account which Prof. Perrigoue 
gave of his discoveries of caves and the petrifactions of pre- 
historic animals. 

According to the story. Messrs. Vance. Andrews and 
Bi-own. accompanied by Mr. Green had visited the volcano 
and explored it thoroughly, and in doing so had. indeed, pass- 
ed through some dangerous adventures. The account of 
their trip thus gixcii was that at noon of the dav they stai't- 
ed out from Ponca. they arrived at Ionia. Leaving the town 
to their right, they in a short time reached the rough dis- 
trict in the neigboi-Jiood of the \olcano, the close proximity 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 811 

of which was indicated by dense sulphurous fumes prevad- 
ing the atmosphere. The horses were now securely tied, 
and the party proceeded forward on foot. Approaching by 
means of diflicult paths through a wild region, they soon 
stood on the summit of a lofty bluff, overlooking the river, 
and from which a wide extent of country was visible. In 
front rolled the tumultuous Missouri, across whose dirty 
bosom nature had commenced throwing a bridge of ice. Be- 
yond and about a mile away, were the low lands and dense 
forests of Dakota. At their right they looked down into the 
pleasant little valley in which nestled cosily among its 
shrubbery and trees, the little town of Ionia. On their left 
and up the river, they beheld a long range of bluffs and 
broken land as far as the eye could reach. 

The wild grandeur of the scene, was, however, disregard- 
ed, as they beheld the real object of their search revealing 
itself by its spires of smoke, just below and immediately in 
front of them. Hastily scrambling down the almost perpen- 
dicular sides of the bluff", the party stood on the spot so well 
known as the Ionia volcano. Imagine an oblong tract con- 
taining perhaps ten acres, whose myriads of funnel shaped 
mouths continually emitted a murky cloud. As they went 
forward over the plateau, the heat was intense. Beneath 
their feet sparkled beds of coals, and the air laden with 
noxious vapors, was almost overpowering. The phenomena 
seemed more wonderful as night came on. What in the 
daylight appeared as jets of vapor, resembling smoke, were 
now of a bright bluish color, and as their columns ascended 
were variegated wdth brilliant flashes. It was noticed that 
this luminous vapor did not discharge itself uniformly, but 
would continue only from four to six minutes, then cease for 
a short interval and then commence again. It was also no- 
ticed that the discharges of vapor from the numerous orifices 
all occurred at the same time, thus indicating by their con- 
cert of action that their streams were all from one common 
reservoir. Just previous to an irruption, a low rumbling 
sound would be heard, accompanied by a slight trembling of 
the earth. All these various phenomena would in the light 
and noise of day hardly be noticed, but now were clearly 
apparent. 

Mr. Vance stated that during his travels in South Amer- 



312 HiSTUKY OF DiXUlS' COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 

ica and especially in Enrope he bad visited several volcanoes 
and had studied them considerably, and he was compelled to 
acknowlege that this, though on a small scale, bore a strik- 
resemblance to them. The discharges at regular intervals, 
the jarring of the earth and the dull sound which anticipat- 
ed the eruptions, were a counterpart of the phenomena he 
had witnessed at Vesuvius and Jiltna. 

For the purpose of more fully testing the question 
whether these eruptions were occasioned by volcanic action, 
the party now proposed to drill down through the earth and 
rock, which was an easy matter as the rock, owing to the 
extreme heat, seemed to be softened to the consistency of 
dry clay. 

Taking their hollow diamond pointed iron rods, they 
selected a spot near to one of the largest jets of vapor, and 
were enabled to drill downward very rapidly. In the course 
of three hours they penetrated to a depth of about sixty feet. 
The drawing of the rods occupied some time as they were 
white hot. and it was neai- midnight when the last joint was 
taken out. Then a heavy explosion took jDlace, accompanied 
by a tremendous discharge, not of luminous vapor alone, l)ut 
of what appeared to be a stream of liquid tire, which thrown 
to a height of at least 75 feet, fell like a cataract of flame. 
The display lasted a little less than five minutes, then 
ceased, and after this first grand exhibition of earth's hi'e- 
works, the eruptions were merely of luminous vapor, the 
same as was emitted by the thousand little volcanic 
mouths around them. 

This wonderful discharge of tire was accompanied by a 
number of red hot stones; some of them, indeed, were melted 
by the violent heat. It was afterwards ascertained that this 
brilliant display was witnessed by several persons about ten 
miles distant in Dakota, who supposed that an enormous 
meteor was rising above the horizon. Mr. Vance, by this 
experiment, was nioi-c than evei- convinced that this was a 
verital)le volcano, and he assured his companions that the 
great source or fountain of hre was but a little way beneath 
them. 

It now being early morning, the party went l)ack to 
their carriage and rested until (hiylight, when they again 
returned to the volcanic held. The displays of the night 



HISTORY OF DIXON CXJUNTY, NEBRASKA. 318 

had passed with the darkness, and only a few spindles of 
vapor were visible, and a stranger might pass over without 
discerning anything unusual. He would find his mistake, 
however, if he attempted to walk with bare feet. The most 
sedate personage in such predicament, would undoubtedly 
perform a hornpipe in a very undignified manner. The 
morning light revealed several other interesting facts which 
had hitherto escaped attention. Though the weather was cold, 
and as a general thing vegetation had been dead for two 
months past, it was noticed that in several ravines adjacent 
to the volcanic field, the grass was green and luxuriant. 
Some of it was six inches high, and evidently growing in a 
good, healthy condition. Mr. Andrews clipped some to take 
east to show his friends wdiat Nebraska could do in the 
winter time. Mr. Green also took occasion to cut off a 
quantity of it for his steeds, to whom it was a luxurious 
repast. 

The earthquake, which a few weeks before, had been 
severely felt in Dixon county, was referred to in the conver- 
sation respecting the volcano, and inquiry was made of Mr. 
Vance, who seemed to have a very complete knowledge of 
such matters, as to wdiether in his opinion such earthquake 
was in any manner connected with the phenomena they 
were witnessing. The reply of Mr. Vance gave a new and 
startling theory. "Here," said he, "is an undoubted volcano. 
Below the surface, (nor is it far below, as we saw last night), 
is a reservoir of tire, doubtless communicating with the in- 
ternal fire of the earth. Near by flows the Missouri. My 
opinion is that the earthquake was occasioned by the river 
breaking through into the tiery caldron beneath us. If, for 
example, you were to turn a stream of water into a crucible 
of melted iron or any other mineral substance, a violent 
commotion would immediately occur, and if the stream was 
large an explosion would take place. The hrst will illustrate 
an earthquake, the second a volcano." 

To illustrate the truth of his theory, Mr. Vance poured 
some water into the hole that had been drilled the 
night before. Intantly they were saluted by an explosion 
and a shower of stones. "Had this," said he "instead of a 
quart of water, been one-tenth part of what flows by this 
point in an hour, we would have had an earthquake like the 



314 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

one occasioned a few weeks ago. Finally, as the river con- 
tinues to encroach, a great breach will be made in the divid- 
ing walls and an immense flood will rush in upon the molten 
mass below. Then the spot where we stand, and perhaps 
some space around will he tossed toward the clouds, stones. 
and lava hurled out, and a full-blown volcano inaugurated. 
When the overflow of lava into the river blocks up the un- 
derground channel and thus shuts off the irritating cause of 
the commotion, the volcano will die away to a mere smoke 
pot as it is called, until other changes cause the river tO' 
break through again. If it were possible to discover this 
underground channel, one might regulate the earthquake 
and volcanic display at pleasure. Such was Mr. Vance's 
theory. 

The party deemed it now proper to further investigate 
the bluffs in the neighborhood. As they wandered along 
they noticed in the ledges of the rocks many curious forma- 
tions and petriflcations. The whole day was thus occupied 
in viewing these interesting subjects of study. Evening 
came as they were resting at the foot of a rocky eminence, 
preparatory to returning to the volcano which was about a 
mile away. 

Suddenly to their unutterable amazement, they distinct- 
ly heard a distant musical sound, which continued a long 
time, then died away, and then commenced again. It was 
faint, and as they heard it, seemed unearthly, yet it was un- 
mistakeably military music. From whence it came they 
had not the slightest idea, but it seemed to issue from a 
crevice at the base of the rock. This astonishing phenom- 
enon was worthy of immediate investigation. The crevice 
which poured forth these sounds was about six inches in 
width. With pick and l)ar the party })roposed to drift their 
way into the interior and discover if possible the cause of 
such a new^ and unheard of mystery. 

The opening from which the sounds emanated, seemed to 
be an irregular fracture or l)reak in the rocks, which ex- 
tended perpendicularly some distance and which near tlie base 
of the ledge was six or eight indies in width. A few^ blows 
of the pick upon the soft rock soon enlarged the crevice con- 
siderably, and it was seen that that the opening rapidly 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 315 

widened as it extended into the bluff. Having prepared 
their lamps, the party made their way into the interior, 
Mr. Vance taking the lead. 

They found themselves in a ragged and rapidly widening 
seam, the direction of which from the entrance was south- 
easterly, and which was simply one of the innumerable net- 
work of fissures and seams which intersect the bluffs along 
the river. 

The party scrambled along the rough pathway for 60 to 
70 feet, when the passage, which had hitherto had been 
growing wider, suddenly contracted, so much so, indeed, 
that it was with the utmost difficulty that they were en- 
abled to preceed at all. 

At intervals they heard the same musical sounds which 
had startled them at the outset. 

About fifty feet farther on, the party found the fissure 
intersected nearly at right angles by a still narrower crevice. 
From this new break in the rock, which was not over two 
inches in width, they found proceeding the subterranean 
melody, which they now heard with much greater distinct- 
ness than before. 

So distinct, indeed, were the sounds, that the tones of the 
different instruments were clearly distinguished. Mr. Green, 
on listening intently, stated that the different melodies were 
those usually played by the Ponca band. 

Yet it could not be possible, the distance, 12 miles, utterly 
precluding such a conclusion. Mr. Green also now called to 
mind that this was the evening which had been selected by 
the band for practice. 

"If such is the case," said Mr. Vance, "this musical phe- 
nomena can be explained. As in all volcanic countries, this 
region is permeated by an infinite number of breaks or fis- 
sures. These fissures are so many pneumatic tubes, through 
which, sounds may be conveyed to a great distance. Exper- 
iments have demonstrated that even so low a sound as a 
whisper may be heard miles away. If, therefore, this band 
is playing near some opening, as for instance a well, which 
is intersected by this natural system of pneumatic tubes un- 
derlying Dixon county, we need seek no further for the solu- 
tion of this apparent mystery." 

The party listened for some time, and until the distant 



.-5 Hi HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

music died away and finally ceased altogether. Even though 
they could readily account for it, yet such sounds in that 
rocky retreat were peculiarly interesting. The explanation 
which Mr. Vance had given as to the cause, was now^ veri- 
fied by the sound of a distant bell, which was instantly 
recognized by Mr. Green as belonging to Ponca, and whose 
sounds, he stated, he could not mistake. This bell, evi- 
dently ringing for nine o'clock, reverberated through the 
rocky fissures in a weird and unearthly manner. 

The party now proceeded on, intending to explore to the 
end of the passage, which l)y reason of the rapidly closing 
walls seemed not far off. As they moved forward they 
noted the different formations of the rocks, and perceived 
occasionally, thin veins of coal, from six to ten inches thick, 
embeded in layers of the finest slatestone. In one spot they 
saw a vavst accumulation of copperas; at another place a 
species of yellow clay which Mr. Vance stated would, 
if properly mixed with oil, make a most valuable mineral 
paint. But what was still more wonderful, they found in 
many spots great numbers of shells, thus indicating that 
life had once existed where the solid rock now stood. Thus 
examining these interesting discoveries, the party slowly 
continued to advance until they had penetrated to the dis- 
tance of not less than 150 feet. 

The passage had now become so extremely narrow that 
the explorers found very great difficulty in crowding them- 
selves forward. In addition to this inconvenience they 
found at this place, the way partially blocked up by a hyge 
rock which had fallen from overhead. Beyond they saw by 
throwing forward the light of their lamps, a much larger 
opening in the rocks. With the aid of a pick they set to 
work to break away a portion of the intervening rock, and 
with so much success that in a short time they were able to 
crawl past it. In their eagerness to get forwai-d they did not 
notice as they loosened tho boulder, that the rocky walls en- 
closing them trembled, noi- did they realize their danger 
until it was too late. This keystone, as it may have been 
called, torn away, the walls closed with a crash, and only 
because they had hastily scrambled through into the wider 
passage beyond, were they saved from being crushed by the 
rocky jaws. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 317 

One can hardly imagine a more unfortunate situation 
than that in which these adventurous gentlemen now found 
themselves. The seam or fissure thus far followed, had 
closed up behind them, and the}' were buried, as it appeared, 
beneath 150 feet of rock. 

The passage, wherein they were so fatally imprisoned, 
was somewhat wider than the one they had traversed, but 
its length they found to be a few paces only. Thus trapped, 
they gloomily contemplated the dungeon surrounding them. 

What was to be done? If anything could be accomplish- 
ed to escape from their rocky tomb, it must be done without 
delay. Even now, one of their lamps was going out and the 
other would last but a short time longer. 

Mr. Andrews seized the pick and wildly endeavored to 
break his way back through the rock. A few blows showed 
how utterly foolish and unavailing was the attempt. 

Mr. Clreen, whose presence of mind under these appalling 
circumstances was remarkable, suggested that probably 
they would be searched for, their place of entrance discover- 
ed, and if so, strenuous exertions would be made to break in, 
to their relief. 

But such a cheerful termination to their adventure could 
not, on reflection, be entertained. Mr. Vance stated that 
from his examination of the slope of the rocks as they passed 
through, he felt sure that the closing of the crevice had ex- 
tended to the surface, and that the exterior opening as well, 
was so closed as to be visible only as a narrow seam. He 
reasoned that there was no ground to hope for a discovery 
of their situation by outside parties, and that even were it 
possible to break their way back to the pneumatic tube and 
through that giv^e information to their friends of their 
whereabouts, several months of hard labor would necessarily 
be required to re-open the passage through the rock to them. 

Mr. Green proposed as their retreat was cut off, they 
should examine and see if there were not some other outlet 
to the cavern. 

Messrs. Green and Andrews went along the walls, exam- 
ining them critically. At the farthest extremity, blows on 
the rock revealed by the hollow sound an opening beyond. 

It seemed that this part of the passage had been blocked 
up by some loose pieces of slate rock, the removal of which 



3IS HISTUKY OF DIXUN COUMTY, JSEBKASKA. 

showed the continuation of the way into the bluff. 

"Going in does not seem like getting out," said Mr. Vance 
grimly, "still we will move in that direction, rather than 
give up in despair." 

The passage they continued to he the counterpart of 
that they had already traversed. But the rough walls, 
veined with irregular layers of coal, slate stone and an occa- 
sional deposit of clay and shells, no longer received the 
geological attention of Mr. Vance. He and his companions 
were too deeply engaged in meditating on the prol)lem of 
escape to the outer world, to regard the surroundings with 
scientific interest. Had the rock inclosing them been pure 
gold they would gladly have exchanged it for a safe deliver- 
ance from their situation. 

Thus, slowly and despairingly they moved forward, a 
hundred or more yards. The walls, hitherto nearly parallel, 
now contracted rapidly, and soon the hssure became so nar- 
row that they dragged themselves along with difficulty, and 
were in imminent danger of suffocation. The imprisoned 
gentlemen were al)ont to abandon all further exertion, and 
yield themselves to the fate which seemed inevitable, 
when suddenly the walls expanded into a wide and magnifi- 
cent cavern. The roof was lofty, and from it, descending 
to the floor, were seen immense stalactites, whose covering 
of (piartz blazed in the light of the lamp like mirrors of 
silver. 

A grand sight, truly, and one which under other circum- 
stances would have delighted the eye of the geologist. But 
in their unfortunate condition, the brilliant splendors which 
surrounded them were scarcely noticed, and the sad pro- 
cession of adventurers pressed wearily forward. 

Traversing the lengtli of the dazzling subterranean hall, 
the party found and entered at its eastern extremity another 
crevice or irregular seam in the rocks, the course of which 
seemed to bear neai-ly to the northeast. 

They now for the first time heard at regular intervals, 
the low, throbbing sound of the volcano, which, therefore 
they concluded was not far off. As they advanced the 
sounds became more and more distinct, and the poisonous 
fumes of sulphurous vapor, at hrst hardly discernable, soon 
by their growing intensity, warned them of their approach 



HISTORY OF DIXOM COUNTY. NEBKASKA. :319 

toward the abyss underlying the volcanic Held. Ere long, 
far in the distance, throngh the dense vapoi'S in front, they 
caught glimses of a lurid sea, a chaos of Manie and smoke, 
the intense heat and suffocating fumes of which utterly pre- 
cluded farther advance in that direction. There seemed, 
then, to be no other alternative but to retrace their way. 
Yet, where could they go? Was it possible to find an es- 
cape from these labyrinths? As they revolved in their 
minds these important questions, they saw in a little hollow 
in the rock a small quantity of water. Perishing with thirst 
this fortunate discovery was most welcome. Mr. Vance 
noticed that to the right of the pool, and running northerly, 
was a narrow opening, the sides and Hoor of which were 
smoothed as by the action of water. By his advice the 
party changed their course into this new passage, which, 
unlike the irregular hssures they had previously followed, 
was an easy pathway to their feet. 

As they advanced they observed that pools of water in 
their path became more numerous and finally covered it 
altogether, thus presenting before them a channel, which, 
as they found, grew deeper at every step. 

Hence it seemed that their retreat in this direction was 
also to be cut off. But the general despair at the new dan- 
ger which menaced them, was not shared by Mr. Vance. On 
the contrary, for the hrst time since their incarceration he 
seemed encouraged and hopeful. 

"It appears evident," said he, "that we have struck the 
subterranean channel leading from the Missouri to the vol- 
canic matter. Through this channel, when the river is 
high, water will find its way to the abyss of fire, and other 
conditions being favorable, an earthquake, or even an erup- 
tive volcano will be the result. The surface of the water 
before us shows the height of the river. Hence, let us go 
forward. When we can walk no farther we will swim. It 
is our only hope." 

With these words he took the lead along the fast deepen- 
ing channel. Soon the water came up to their necks, and 
the lamp becoming extinguished, they were left in impene- 
trable darkness. While in this fearful predicament, the par- 
ty ascertained that the roof of the cavern was gradually 



320 HISTORY UF DiXUN CUUJMTY, :NEBKASKA. 

sloping downward as they proceeded, and was now within a 
short distance of the surface of the water, and must soon 
sink beneath it. 

The danger which this new discovery foreshadowed, and 
which in their despair seemed the natural culmination of 
the night's disastrous experiences, was forgotten as a shout 
from Mr. Vance directed their attention to what appeared to 
be a faint point of light, some distance in front of them. 

As they swam toward it they became conscious that the 
roof of the passage was descending more and more, until 
finally, between it and the surface of the water, intervened 
scarcely a hand's breadth of space, through which, however, 
the light now gleamed brilliantly like a star of hope. 
A moment more and they emerged from their watery prison 
which here opened into the river. Fortunately the ice had 
not yet formed at this point and they experienced no further 
trou1)le in this most remarkable escape. As they came out 
they found it was broad day — so they had been all night 
wandering in the subterranean solitudes. 

The joy of the adventurers at once more standing on the 
upper earth, knew no bounds. Warming themselves by the 
heat of the volcano, they hastened to where the horses were 
tied and started for Ponca, wdiere they arrived that evening. 
The next day Mr Vance and his friends departed for the 
east. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 321 



INDIAN SCARE AND MASSACRE. 

Story of the Perilous Days When Dixon County was on 

THE Frontier. 

I The following story — written by one of our family — was 
published several years ago in an Omaha paper. The story 
is founded on the great scare of lS(r2, and the murder of the 
Wiseman family, both of which have already been described 
in these pages, and which took place about a year apart, but 
for the purposes of this story are represented as occurring at 
the same time. As to the flight of settlers from Niobrara 
and the expedition from Ponca to that place in search of Indi- 
ans, the story is nearly historically correct, and for that reason 
is here inserted, but the part relating to the murder of the 
Wiseman's is a long way off. and is not one-tenth as terrible 
as were the actual facts.] 

Dixon county was hrst settled about thirty-five years 
ago. previous to which time, with the exception of an occa- 
sional white man who ventured here to trade or hunt, the 
Indians were the sole occupants. The Hrst white men who 
saw this country were Lewis and Clark, when they passed up 
the Missouri river in LS(J4 on their expedition to the Pacific 
coast. 

Indian legends inform us that in very early days a 
large Indian village was located near where Ponca now stands, 
another one at Ionia, and still other important Indian towns 
at Martinsburg and Dailey. In these various villages 
resided portions of the Omahas, the Dakotas and the Poncas, 
the latter being the predominating tribe in this part of the 
country. These different bands were frequently engaged in 
quarrels with each other, which often led to bloody conflicts. 
One desperate battle which took place about a mile north of 
Ponca, near the river, between a large number of Omaha and 
Ponca warriors, resulted in a great slaughter of the former. 
The Omahas had come down from the Dailey country, where 
their town was located, on a raid, and were ambushed and 
nearlv everv one slain. 



S>> HISTORY OF DIXUN OOLM'Y. NEBRASKA. 

However, these desperate encounters between different, 
bands occurred many yeai"^ before the country was inhabited 
by whites. It was in ISoO when the tirst adventurous spirits 
bleated here, at which period the Indians in the vicinity, in 
n umbel's or hostility, were not generally dangerous neigh- 
bors. They would steal horses, but unless they had increas- 
ed their courage and animosity by a supply of tirewater. 
they never showed a desire to practice on the whites any of 
those hairlifting ceremonies which, among themselves, they 
had previously been accustomed to engage in. Still, for 
several years, it was not deemed entirely safe to be far away 
from home without a gun. 

Although those few primitive settlers experienced many 
hardships and discouragements nothing of a startling charac- 
ter occurred until l'^>2. It was on October 14 of that year 
when Ponca. then a village of perhaps forty people, was sud- 
denly turned into a state of wild excitement and her usually 
quiet streets were tilled with territied men. women and 
children. 

The country between Ponca and Niobrara in 1S(V2 was very 
spai'sely settled. Only at great distances apart could the 
homesteaders' cabins he seen, and only now and then could 
be found the soil turned over for cultivation. Those who 
had drifted from the east and located in this part of the 
country were forced to confront the usual disadvantages of 
pioneer existence, and many obstacles fell in their paths to 
thwart their hopes and intentions. This was the year in 
wliich the Indian outbreak took place in Minnesota and 
D.ikota. thus creatiuir general discontent among the Indian 
tribes. Each night during this threatening period the fami- 
lies in their lonely cabins knew it was possible that before 
the dawn of the following morning they would be toma- 
hawked and scalped and their homes reduced to ashes. Their 
fears increased as the days went by. but. unwilling to aban- 
don all their worldly po-^s-^ssions. they remained, only hoping 
for the arrival of the time when the savages would be quelled 
and peace and safety restored. 

In October of the year in question, a friendly Winnebago 
half-breed Indian passed throuvrh the settlements between 
Ponca and Niobrara, scattering the report that an immense 
numl>er of Sioux warrioi's were approaching, bringing 



HlS'iXniY OF DiXON COUNTY, NEBKAHKA, 3^3 

great destruction to lixcs iiiid property, hiirnin^- houses a,ii(l 
massacreing tlie inmates. So terrible a story of innniiuuit 
danger carried dismay into every household and caused the 
strongest hearts to quail. On reccvipt of this awe inspiring 
tale the question arose in the homesteader's mind as to 
what course should he i)ursued to hest secure jjrotection 
against the a[»i)roaching danger. 

In Ponca, on the October day above mentioned, about 5 
o'clock in the afternoon, Mr. M. Q. DeAgley, the only mer- 
chant of the town, was in the act of closing his place of busi- 
ness for the day, when he heard the din of wagon wheels and 
the tramp of horses, and in the coui'sc^ of a few moments a, 
long train (d' wagons, one after another, ,i|)peared, coming 
over the hills which skirt the town on the w(\st. Mr. DeAgley, 
knowing of the Indian outbreak, although it was at a (tonsider- 
al)le distance, was stricken by the fear that the moving wagons 
were those of the red men and that they were stored with 
the plunder reaped from the rural settlers, and that in am- 
buscade lay the warriors waiting foi- dai-kness to come, when 
Ponca should be spoliated, her iiduibitants scalped and her 
few rude dwellings and business houses swept away in smoke. 
Mr. DeAgley went forthwith to state his fears to his neigh- 
bors, and to assist them in preparations foi- defense against the 
danger which seemed to be pending. Hut before he could 
make the rounds, the streets were thronged by wagons 
occupied, not by Indians, but by homesteaders who had been 
impelled to make an exodus for the east by the report that 
the Sioux savages were marching on Niobrara, and were 
designing to wipe out that place, as well as all the white set- 
tlements between there and Sioux City. 

It seems that a man named E, G. Smith, who lived about 
eight miles south of Niobrara, was the first recipient of the 
exciting news, and without hesitation, he gathered into his 
wagon his family, together with all the provisions, grain and 
household goods that he could conveniently carry, and im- 
mediately started out in an eastern direction. The dwellers 
in the first cabin which he reached on his journey very wil- 
lingly adopted his plan, and also loaded their wagons with 
portions of their scanty wealth and followed on his eastern 
exodus. In brief, each pioneer along the road did the same, 



334 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

until, when the company entered Ponca, it consisted of about 
sixty teams and 200 persons. 

The good people of this town, loth to see the desertion of 
such a rich territory, encouraged the settlers to halt at this 
point and consider what, under the circumstances, would be 
best to do. A public meeting was held that evening to con- 
sider the matter. It was an exciting gathering. Many 
speeches were made, some maintaining that if they re- 
mained in this country their lives would be in peril, while 
others held that the story might be exaggerated and would 
bear investigation. 

After a careful and thorough discussion of the question 
it was concluded to organize a corps of horsemen who would 
leave the next morning and examine the territory between 
Ponca and Niobrara. Those who could best leave their fam- 
ilies were chosen to make up this company of scouts which 
embraced about sixty hale and vigorous young horsemen, 
some from Ponca. though the majoriity were of those who 
had fled from the Niolirara country. The visitors were pro- 
vided with quarters for the night, barns and cellars being 
converted into places of lodging. Everyl)ody arose early 
the next morning to prepare for the departure of the mili- 
tary force. However, the arrangements were not very ex- 
tensive, consisting mainly in obtaining a sufficient number 
of guns and horses. 

About S o'clock a. m., they assembled and after electing 
A. L. Merser as commander of the expedition, and after an 
exchange of parting words with their relatives and friends, 
the gallant company rode away. Through a wild coun- 
try, and one especially gloomy on their route through 
the forest along the Missouri, the company pursued its course 
toward Niobrara. At any moment the men. knowing the 
Indian style of warfare, would not have been surprised to see 
the enemy spring from some ravine or dense thicket of timber 
and attack them. The commander kept strict w^atch over 
the surrounding country, and directed his forces to be pre- 
pared for battle on an instant's notice. 

As they came at long intervals to the deserted cabins of 
settlers no sign of life was visilde. but as yet no injury had 
been dealt out to them. By noon a distance of twenty miles 
had been covered and a halt was made on one of the Lime 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 335 

Creek hills, near the county line between Dixon and Cedar 
counties, for rest and refreshment. The fact that not an 
Indian had so far been seen gave encouragement to the 
scouts, especially to those of them who had only the day be- 
fore fled from their homes. After a half hour spent in eat- 
ing and rest, the march was resumed. For three hours they 
rode along undisturbed, nothing of note developing until 
within a short distance of 8t. James, a little town about 
thirty miles northwest of Ponca. At this point, aliout four 
miles east from St. James, their attention was attracted to a 
large rock, a short distance north of the road. Partly hidden 
by the vines which festooned the rock, they saw a little girl, 
probably 12 years old. She w^as apparently in great distress, 
and on near approach it was seen she was covered with 
blood. When she saw the scouts, she called to them, and 
ran, as fast as her wounded condition would i)ermit. to claim 
their protection. 

This great rock, where the girl had concealed herself, is 
familiar to all settlers in that part of the country. At that 
date it was of significant meaning to the superstitious Indians. 
Like Spirit Mound, directly across the river from this point, 
this rock w^as believed to be haunted by malignant and life- 
destroying spirits and that certain death would be the por- 
tion meted out to the venturesome Indian who approached it. 

The soldiers found the girl to be suffering from a painful 
wound inflicted by an arrow which had penetrated her left 
arm. Between sobs she told a mournful story. It was 
gleaned that her name was Mary Wiseman and that she, to- 
gether with her mother and two brothers, lived in a little 
log cabin some distance oft' the road, her father having 
several months previous joined the United States army. 
About 3 o'clock on that afternoon Mrs. Wiseman went to 
St. James to purchase groceries, leaving her three chil- 
dren. Charley and Henry, aged 10 and 15 years respec- 
tively, and Mary at home. While the mother was absent, 
four big Sioux Indians came to the door and demanded ad- 
mission. The door was locked and barred, but it was soon 
beaten down, and the savages entered to perpetrate their in- 
human designs. Henry, the older boy, had in the meantime 
secured a gun and made a defense as best he could. But his 
head was soon pierced by a bullet, and his heroic efforts in 



S-m HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

behalf of their home were suddenly ended by death. After 
murdering Henry, Charley became the next victim. In the 
meanwhile Mary escaped through the door, and, putting 
forth her utmost speed, tied. Fortunately for her, and almost 
providentially it would seem, her steps were directed toward 
the rock, where she was afterwards found by the soldiers. 
She was pursued some distance and received an arrow in the 
arm, Init the superstitious fears of the Indians would not 
permit them to approach too near the haunted rock. 

After hearing her story, Mary was accompanied by the 
soldiers to her home which was found to be in the timber 
near the river and nearly a mile from the road. By the time 
they arrived there, the Indians had gone. The scouts found 
the house plundered, Henry lying dead in a pool of blood 
and the grief stricken mother, just returned from St. James, 
bending over Charley, who had been stabbed in the breast 
and who though unable to speak, was yet alive. There was 
no hope for him, however, as he was mortally wounded, and 
in a few minutes liis life and sufferings were ended. It was 
decided to convey the family to St. James and it was done, 
although considerable time was spent in effecting the neces- 
sary preparations for removal, and it was near 8 o'clock in 
the evening when they reached that place. 

The hospitable people there tendered every assistance in 
this time of great need. The remains of the two boys were 
placed in one of the dwellings to await burial, and Mrs. Wise- 
man and her little girl were comfortably provided for, the 
wounded arm was attended to and everything was done to 
console them in their distress and bereavement. 

At St. James the company of men reuiained during the 
night. The people manifested great joy in seeing them, and 
were very solicitlous in j^roviding for their wants. Some of 
of the inhabitants had deserted the town. I)ut several fami- 
lies were still there, probably either being unable to get away 
or considering the circulated rumors not well founded. The 
next morning the little army resumed its road toward Nio- 
brara. It would have gained several new recruits at St. 
James, but the known presence of the Indians in the timber 
near by, made it necessary that they should remain for home 
protection. During this day, their second (hiy from Ponca, 
they traveled thirty-hve miles to the little town of Frank- 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY. NEBRASKA. -337 

fort. Throughout the journey the same dilligent watch was 
kept for the enemy, but not an Indian came into view. 

Frankfort had been totally abandoned, and as the soldiers 
entered the town they were received, not with gorgeous 
pomp, but by a number of unostentatious chickens, which 
assembled from fences and l)arn tops, and which, wrestling 
with hunger, were much pleased to welcome the visitors. In 
the unpeopled houses they established quarters for the night. 
They had become extremely fatigued by their two days' ex- 
perience, the journey had been very irksome, few having 
saddles and many being wholly unaccustomed to horseback 
riding. 

They arose early the next morning to Hud, not the fine 
weather which had previously prevailed, but a sky heavy 
with clouds and a drizzling rain. Here the army tarried un- 
til 10 o'clock, when the clouds dispersed and the sun once 
more gave out its genial rays. The air after the shower was 
exhilarating and the trip was continued with renewed vigor. 
The rain had laid the smoke which before filled the sky and 
darkened the surrounding landscape. Burnt tracts over in 
Dakota could be seen, and it was evident that the smoke, 
which had proven so great an alarm, had emanated from 
prairie fires. As they pressed on through the solitude and saw 
the broad and fertile valleys awaiting only the hand of civi- 
lization to convert them into luxuriant fields of cereals and 
vegetables they grew more ardent and determined in carry- 
ing out the purpose of their expedition. At 7 o'clock in the. 
evening the company arrived at Niobrara, located on the 
Missouri river, about twenty-five miles from Frankfort. 
Niobrara, previously a noted and vigorous frontier town, now, 
from the quiet which everywhere reigned, seemed almost 
deserted. It was at first concluded that this place also had 
been forsaken, but a light glimmering through a window 
proved the contrary. The travelers followed the light and 
soon reached the building, which was of considerable size in 
proportion to the town. 

Although the inmates were startled by the unexpected 
appearance of the scouts, their presence was, as would be sup- 
posed, very welcome. At Niobrara, it seems the scare was 
equally severe. Those who had not left the town were col- 
lected in this building, where they hoped to make an effec- 



S28 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

tual defense should the Indians come. Supper was gladly 
serv^ed to the soldier guests and everything done to secure 
their comfort. 

The territory had been carefully examined and nothing 
appeared to indicate any danger. It was thought these four 
savages, who had committed the fiendish crime at St. James, 
were the only hostile Indians in this part of the country and 
were the sole incentives of the entire Indian scare. Hence 
the party concluded that further investigation was anneces- 
sary and decided to return to Ponca. So, after a few days of 
much needed rest, the return march began. 

At St. James, Dr. P. A. Cllen, who was a member of the 
expedition, stopped to look after the interests of Mrs. Wise- 
man and her child and to give them a sum of money which 
the generous hearted members of the company had con- 
tributed to assist them in their troubles. The four renegade 
Indians had not been again seen, nor, indeed, were they ever 
afterwards seen on this side of the Missouri. In Ponca. the 
suspense of the women and children, and the few men whO' 
were unable to undertake the hazardous trip, was painful to 
bear. Imagination pictured their friends and relatives un- 
der the knives of the remorseless savages, and all were wrap- 
ped in gloom and despondency until the safe return of the 
pioneers turned their forebodings to joy. In a few days those 
who had fled to Ponca from their homes returned to them, 
thankful to know their property was not devastated and that 
the lives of themselves and families were secure from danger. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 329 



INCIDENTS OF EVERY DAY LIFE. 



A SURVEYING EXPEDITION AND THE TRIUMPH OF 

GOOD LUCK. 

Not long after becoming a resident of Nebraska, I had 
the pleasure of making the acquaintance of the recently 
elected county surveyor, Mr. Sullenberger. Mr. S. was the 
genial captain of a saw mill near the riv^er, and his long ex- 
perience among the machinery of the mill, was to his en- 
thusiastic constituents, a sufficient assurance that he was 
fully capable of managing and boxing around such a little 
thing as a surveyor's compass. 

Hardly was Mr. Sullenberger's election, as well as his 
somewhat prolonged celebration of so important an event, 
safely over, wdien he enjoyed his first experience as a practi- 
cal surveyor. A Mr. Martin, who lived about twenty miles 
or so out on the prairie, near the Cedar county line, wanted 
to find the exact centre of one of his quarter sections of 
land for the purpose of locating at that point a school house. 
He therefore notified surveyor Sullenberger, who agreed to 
be on hand the next day and do the work. As this was to 
be his first effort as a surveyor he invited the writer to ac- 
C(Miipany him as assistant. He also, with some appearance 
of nervousness, inquired if 1 had ever had any experience 
as a surveyor, and was cheered with the assurance that I 
had often ran lines, though I deemed it unnecessary to state 
that the only lines I ever ran were clothes lines, which, 
often on blue Mondays, a combination of circumstances had 
required to be stretched from pole to pole. 

Accordingly, the next morning we made ready for the ex- 
pedition. Deeming that no surveyors, however well versed, 
could expect to correctly bombard their way from the cir- 
cumference to the center of a quarter section without instru- 



330 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

meiits, we first drove to the house of Mr. Hayclon, the former 
surveyor, to borrow the necessary utensils of liim. Mr. H. 
cheerfully complied with the request. He brought out a 
brass bound, shallow, three legged dish, in which swam like 
a tish. a long and slender hnger resembling the hour hand 
of a clock. "This," said Mr. Haydon, "is the compass." 
Then he gave us further instructions — he spoke of verniers, 
of degrees, of sights and of water levels, all which were duly 
appreciated. He said the vernier should be so regulated 
that the needle (by which we supposed he referred to the 
aforesaid tish), would point twelve degrees away from where 
it ought to point. It appeared from his remarks that it is 
the rule among surveyors to make such a variation on ac- 
count of the earth having at some time or other flopped its 
north pole away twelve degrees from the locality to which 
the head of said hsh had been accustomed to point, hence 
the twelve degrees were to make allowance, as it were, for 
the perversity of the earth and the stubliornness of the fish 
aforesaid. 

Having thus been duly instructed, we took the compass 
and a chain to measure with, and started on our road to Mr. 
Martin's place, where we arrived at noon. We were wel- 
comed by Mr. Martin and his family with hospitality, our 
tired horses were fed and we were furnished a dinner fit for 
a king. After dinner, Mr. Martin shoW'ed us around his 
farm, pointed out his numerous improvements and his big 
herd of cattle. 

But the time had now arrived when it became necessary 
to forego further pleasure, and come down to business. Mr. 
Martin was anxious to have the centre of his section of land 
found and located, and Mr. Sullenberger had come for that 
purpose; it was therefore high time we were al)()ut it, as it 
was getting late. 

As we went to get the compass, Mr. Sullenbergei* said he 
would say strictly in confidence that his experience as a 
surveyor was not very extensive and the only feat he ever 
performed in that branch was when he once assisted to run 
a line of half a mile, during which he made a variation of 
about 800 yards. "So small a discrepancy, is, to be sure, 
hardly worth minding," said Mr. S., "yet probably you had 
better attend to the compass and I will boss the chain." 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 831 

It now became my turn to confess in like contidential 
manner that I was also not heavily burdened by carrying 
around what 1 knew about surveying, and that sooner than 
use the compass, 1 would attempt to run the lines by walk- 
ing across the field blindfolded. 

So here we were in a fix. Mr. Martin a little distance 
off waited expectantly and confidently. But though dis- 
mayed for a moment at this mutual revelation, we rose in 
our misfortunes, equal to the occasion. "I will manage the 
compass," said Mr. S., and with the dignified gravity of an 
old government surveyor general, he took it out of the 
buggy, and mounting it upon its three legs, shouldered it 
and started for the field of action. 

Arriving on the ground, Mr. Martin pointed out the place 
where he desired us to start from. He wished a line to be 
run a mile long, when, if correctly done, it would intersect 
the mound on the other side of the section. 

We now proceeded to the task, and this scene is particu- 
larly described as it will be instructive to other surveyors. 
Tlie three-legged instrument having been duly boxed and 
shook up, so as to make its internal organization work 
freely, was planted over the desired spot. A thunder storm 
now appeared and we hastened to make what speed we 
could in the performance. But there seemed to be many 
discouragements. The compass wouldn't stay level, and the 
needle twirled and wiggled around and pointed in all direc- 
tions except the right one. 

"The fluctuations of the needle," said Mr. S., "or to speak 
in plainer language, its wabbling and spinning on its pivot 
like an impaled June bug, are often occasioned by the ap- 
proach of thunder storms as in this instance, at which times 
streams of electricity break up through the earth and come 
ripping and tearing out of the ground, thereby disarranging 
the motions of all such instruments. Nearness to lava or 
iron ore also produces the same result. Thus: as you may 
be aware. I formerly resided at Ionia, and indeed, as you 
may say, under the shadow of the volcano at that place. 
Now in that country the slugs of iron and lava which vol- 
canic action has slung out and scattered around, effectually 
preclude the use of the ordinary compass in the ordinary 
way. The needle scurries around like a bean in a hot 



332 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

skillet, and the only proper method by which to manage it 
is to take it out altogether and let it play and kick aronnd 
awhile on the grass, until it gets the electricity out of it. If 
you attempt to work it otherwise, you might have to chain 
it down." 

Thus enlivened by scientific discourse, we prepared for 
the final onslaught. We had been instructed by Mr. Heydon 
to make an allowance of 12 degrees; on which side however; 
we had forgotten, but we were greatly assisted in determin- 
ing, by observing a neighboring corn field, whose rows were 
said to run north and south. At last, everything being 
ready, Mr. S. took a long squint over the compass, and gave 
a military order for the chainmen and flagman to shoot out. 
So, out we shot, Mr. Martin as flagman, leading the way 
with his handkerchief tied to a pole, and the rest of us fol- 
lowing with the chain, with which we diligently proceeded 
to measure off the ground. 

It is critical business measuring land, especially if the 
line runs across ravines, through brush and over hills. Some- 
times one forgets to count the chains, and at other times in 
the excitement of tumbling into a ditch one may count 
rather faster than the law requires. 

When we had proceeded forward some distance, the indi- 
viduals officiating at the two ends, compared notes to see 
how they agreed. They simply varied in their figures, eleven 
chains, and in order to settle the difficulty without hard feel- 
ings, they split the difference and moved on again. Half way 
across, with all these precautions, the spot at the centre of 
the section should l)e found for the location of the school 
hou'^e. Mr. Martin had previously piled a quantity of brick 
as near to such centre as he could ascertain by pacing. This 
pile of brick was a great comfort and materially assisted in 
the labors of the day. 

A few rods west of the brick, the central point was an- 
nounced and a stake driven down. Then Mr. Martin wanted 
us to continue our journey in the same line so as to hit the 
mound on the western side, and thereby prove the truth of 
our survey. This we deemed unnecessary, but still we did 
it. We concluded that we could not come out over five 
hundred yards away from the mound — at all events we were 
reasonably confident that we should not get off the section 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 333 

altogether. Bat for a wonder, (occasioned doubtless by a 
special interposition of Providence), we hit the mound fair 
and square, and the center of the section was therefore as cor- 
rectly demonstrated as though a whole congress of surveyors 
had determined it. "I see," said Mr. S. with scientific severi- 
ty, "that we have missed the mark by about one inch. Still, 
in view of the thunder storm, and coming the distance of a 
mile, perhaps that slight variation may be excusable." 

Having thus overcome all the difficulties which beset us, 
we wended our way back to the house and started for home. 



334 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



AN OLD FRONTIERSMAN RELATES THE THRLLLrNG 

EXPERIENCE OF HIS DAUGHTER WITH A 

DROVE OF WILD BEASTS. 

Twenty-five years ago the bluffs and ravines along the 
Missouri were the well populated homes of bears and timber 
wolves, and were therefore rich fields for the hunter. It was 
on account of such large game that Messrs. Wheeler and 
Barnes of Ponca went up one summer day to hunt in 
the Walnut creek ravine, a few^ miles above Ionia. They 
entered the ravine about nine o'clock in the morning, well 
prepared with guns and ammunition, and made their way 
along the gloomy defile through an almost impenetrable 
chaparral. As they adv^anced they frightened the timid 
ground squirrel and chipmuck, startled the fierce prairie dog 
and sharp-toothed muskrat, and by their warlike appearance 
even caused the pugnacious coon to hie away to his lair. In 
that sad and soml)re retreat, rendered still more so by the 
unwonted appearance of armed and intruding hunters, the 
jack rabbit silently and pensively skipped to his den, the soft 
and dulcet notes of the boogum and the bom!)ajai- were 
hushed, the rattlesnake forgot to shake his musical tail, and 
the mosquitoes bit with fear and with less venom than of 
yore. 

At noon the hunters reached the head of the ravine. 
They had killed nothing so far, being determined to reserve 
their fire for larger animals than any they had seen. As 
they emerged from the ravine they were pleasantly surpris- 
ed to see near by, the house of an old frontiersman. They 
found him at home and expressed to him their ambition to 
kill something beyond mere chip-squirrels or jack-rabbits, 
and asked to be directed to the haunts of more worthy 
game. As they told of their hunting aspirations and desires 
it was noticed that tlie old frontiersman partially closed one 
eye, and with the other took a long and searching survey of 
his visitors. Then he glanced at the beautiful green of the 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 335 

trees and then again looked at the hunters as though the 
contrast between them and the foliage was presenting to 
his mind the solution of philosophical question. Then he 
replied to their inquiries. 

He told them that bears, wolves and wild-cats were 
frequent, and that buffaloes were occasionallj^ seen, al- 
though he thought the latter were becoming more rare, 
and that in forty or fifty years they would not be found in 
the neighborhood, excepting, perhaps, on the Lime creek 
hills. He told the hunters he thought they would find a 
few wolves and bears without difficulty, and he graphically 
related some of his own hunting experiences. Then he 
again looked out at the foilage. and again earnestly gazed at 
Ills visitors. Then taking an immense quid of tobacco from 
his mouth and laying it away for future use, he related to 
them the astonishing adventures of his daughter, Mahitabel, 
with a den of wolves and bears, the last summer. 

This was the story: One day that summer, Mahitabel, a 
healthy, strapping lass, as resolute and powerful as an ox, 
was out in the field planting corn. She heard a noise in the 
house, and she went to see what was the matter. There she 
found six wolves and four bears, and quite a large attend- 
ance of cubs, all eating out of the swill barrel. With a yell 
which would have frightened a Camanche, she seized the 
family musket and turned to meet the foe. But the 
menagerie had fled. Snifting danger at the approach of 
such an amazon (she weighed 250 pounds, her father offered 
to "give his l)ond and afiidavy to,") the bears and wolves and 
their respective families of whelps and cubs, had made a 
sudden rush for timber. 

Mahitabel, pursued. She jumped the barnyard fence as 
the bears and wolves went through the hog yard. In the 
meadow beyond, the long grass so tangled her up that the 
fleeing drove were enabled to gain on her for a time. Still 
undaunted, she continued to pursue with energy, and though 
the fugitives disappeared from her sight in the thick under- 
brush, she fortunately by means of the heavy fall of snow, 
was enabled to track them, and for the same reason, while 
they waded and wallowed in it with difficulty, she was 
enabled to utilize her number fourteen rubber boots as snow 
shoes, and skim along quite rapidly. Thus coasting on the 



386 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

top of the hard crust, ciiid using her feet with the agility of 
a clog dancer, she soon began to overhaul them again. 

At last she overtook them. It was in a deep and lonel}^ 
dell where the tiowers bloomed in the noontide effulgence, 
where humming l)irds sipped and sang and l)lue bottle flies 
and big beetles buzzed. There, where all nature wore a 
quiet and peaceful garb, and naught was heard save the soft 
song of the tree frog, the low rustle of the leaves and the 
gentle voice of the modest mosquito, the fugitive bears and 
wolves with their fleeing progeny, had made their stand. 
Mahitabel approached gallantly, and leveling her musket, 
blazed away. One bear fell. The other bears and all the 
wolves, evcepting one, tied. They ran up a tall pine stub, 
and entering a great hole in the top, disappeared from view. 

But the wolf that did not flee turned upon Mahitabel and 
tackled her. Then she also gathered up her feet for flight. 
She climbed an umbrageous beach which considerate provi- 
dence had kindly planted near by. The pursuing wolf 
closely followed after, and like her, shinned his way up the 
tree. In the meantime Mahitabel had climbed to the top- 
most branches, where, as she could go no farther, she calmly 
awaited her approaching enemy. The wolf carefully picked 
his way up the tree until he came within about four feet of 
her. Then, as he stopped to reconnoitre, our heroine reach- 
ed over and took him by the tail and turned him around, 
and he saw himself suddenly looking down the tree and 
growling in great wrath. But this relief from danger was 
momentary. The wolf, madder than ever, turned back 
again as soon as she let go her hold, and again looked at her 
and attempted to glare her out of countenance. Then once 
more she reached over him and grabbed him by the tail and 
switched him around. Whereupon, dismayed and overawed 
the wolf jumped for a neighl)()ring tree. 

As he jumped, she seized his tail in her teeth and with a 
large sized darning needle in each hand she spurred the wolf 
behind. She also unlimbered her feet with the force of two 
pile drivers and kicked him fearfully and wonderfully. The 
wolf reached the next tree and hung on. She also hung on. 
The wolf now greatly friglitened ran to the top. she still 
hanging to him and si)urring and kicking him as before. 
Then the wolf juni})(Ml to the next tree top and so on from 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 337 

tree top to tree top, she still hanging on and looking like a 
elond disturbing Venus, as she floated high aloft, spurring, 
kicking and whooping through the atmosphere. At last they 
reached the hollow pine stub where the other bears and 
wolves had taken refuge. Then the immense beast broke 
loose from the clutches of our heroine and entering the hole, 
joined his brother wolves and bears. 

Mahitabel, left master of the situation, like a good gen- 
eral immediately mounted guard over the whole outht, and 
there, undismayed by the growling and grumbling of the im- 
prisoned beasts beneath her, she remained until an hour later 
when her brother came within hail. Being made acquainted 
with the situation, he went and brought the oxen and hitch- 
ing them to the pine stub, tipped it ovei" and caught the en- 
tire band of wild beasts in the hen house which he had 
brought down for that purpose on the stone boat. 

In proof of this story the old frontiersman showed the 
hunters the hen house where the bears and wolves had been 
kept, and also pointed out the pine stub and the hole. He 
would in farther proof, have shown them the valient Mahita- 
bel, but he said she was then some distance away in the 
timber cutting cord wood. On seeing such incontestable 
proof of the presence of wild and savage beasts, the hunters 
concluded, especially as it was near night, to go home and 
get more ammunition and finish their hunt another day. As 
they left, the old frontiersman again gazed long at them and 
at the bright green foliage which soon hid them from his view. 



388 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



REMINISCENCES, AND HOW WE ONCE RAN FOR 

OFFICE. 

The life of a eountry editor, for nearly twenty-live years at 
the same old stand, publishing the same old newspaper he then 
commenced, and year in and year out diligently wielding the 
same old editorial shears and paste brush, is none too exuber- 
ant even under the most favorable conditions, yet it some- 
times has a few gleams of excitement in it. As he treads 
and retreads his accustomed round, diligently threshing out 
disquisitions on every subject from the rise of parties to the 
price of corn, from "the tariff" down to self congratulatory 
blowouts over "our immense circulation" and from thence to 
a notice of Neighbor Jones' patch of big watermelons, "one 
of which is on our table," his life, we say, though it would 
appear to be a perpetual round of monotony, is not altogeth- 
er so. Thus, when, as occasionally happens, insatiate credi- 
tors on the one hand and delinquent subscribers on the other, 
conspire to locate him on the ground said to be "between 
the devil and deep sea," he forgets the sameness of his exist- 
ence in solving the interesting problem of ways and means 
how he is to rescue himself from the threatening perils un- 
scathed. Or when, in his efforts to serve to his constitutents 
their weekly allowance of literary fodder, he unexpectedly 
has the good fortune to nail some incident, legend or adven- 
ture of more than ordinary interest, he forgets all else in the 
joy of rescuing tho nugget from its sand — ])!M"liai).-;he publishes 
it at all events he clothes it as gorgeously as imagination 
will permit, and, for future use, carefully lays it on the shelf, 
where his pipes, unpaid bills and other valuables are kei)t. 
In the course of twenty years one may harvest quite a large 
numl)er of these nuggets, some of which are worth saving, 
while others will be found glittering, but useless pyrites. 
'IMie facts, fancies, legendsaiid incidents in part second of this 
book, were collected in the minner above hinted, and the 
publication of them is for the pui-pose of keeping alive the 
memory of pioneer days. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 339 

In those old days, twenty-iive years ago, there was little 
local news outside the ordinary routine of life. Twice a 
week, when the mail arrived from Sioux City, (we had no 
railroad then), we learned of what was doing in the outside 
world, its excitements, wars, politics, crimes and accidents — 
but here at home there was little to stir the blood, and aside 
from politics, little to excite attention. Thus in a civil, 
peaceable, law abiding way the people on this frontier drifted 
along, improving their farms, building houses, and, whether 
farmers, merchants or mechanics, gradually enlarging the 
business they were in and slowly but surely becoming more 
independent and comfortable. 

Speaking of politics, we will say that we never had any- 
thing to do with it except once, and the history of that one 
time we will add here, in order to suitably lengthen out this 
sketch to proper proportions. Many have heard the story 
before but they will perhaps like to hear it again. 

About twenty years ago we had the ambition to become 
county judge. Why we had such a wish the Lord only knows. 
Perhaps we caught it as one catches the measles or whooping 
cough. At all events w^e had it. mildly at first and increas- 
ing in violence as time went on. The office of county judge 
was not one of great wealth and in those days the incumbent 
had little to do. But what the office lacked in business or fees, 
it made up in dignity. The ponderous, heavy sounding and 
big bodied name of "judge" was not to be scornfully sneezed 
at. And it would be a great honor in after years, to be able 
to sW'Cll up one's diaphragm and speak of the time when "we 
were on the bench," etc. Consequently we proposed to fasten 
to the judgeship. 

In pursuance of this project, we confidentially whispered 
to certain friends that certain other of our friends had whis- 
pered the idea to us, and that while we didn't want the office, 
still, for the sake of harmony, we might possibly, though 
with great reluctance, be prevailed upon to run. if the party 
desired it. Then our friends went around and told how, 
without our wishes and in a great measure unbeknown to us, 
there seemed to be a spontaneous uprising of the bone and 
sinew of the county, in order to give us that tremendous 
office and its still more tremendous title. 



340 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

It was no donht the reluctance on our part to accept this 
great office, that induced sixteen of the twenty-eight dele- 
gates to come and see us, each one separately and privately 
before the convention came off, and earnestly insist on our 
accepting the distinguished trust. Our continued labors for 
the party, they said, were duly remembered. Our lack of 
legal knowledge, we were sympathizingly informed, did not 
disqualify us, as in that office no such knowledge was neces- 
sary. Each of the sixteen went away bathed in tears of joy, 
for we consented to run. 

We were unable to attend the convention, but afterwards 
heard that when it came off we did not quite get six- 
teen out of the twenty-eight votes. In fact, when the votes 
were counted, we seemed even to fall somewhat short of a 
majority. Perhaps you will be surprised, but we did not get 
twelve votes out of the twenty-eight. Tf the truth must be 
told we couldn't boast of nine votes. If we had had eight 
votes we should have been better off than we were. We are 
compelled to remark that had we received seven votes, we 
should have been much encouraged, for seven is a lucky num- 
ber. But we did not get seven, nor indeed six votes. It is a 
great cross to admit it, but we lacked some of getting five 
votes. We should have been thankful if we had had three 
votes, as that is said to be a rising numl)er. We certainly 
ought to have received two votes, and we probably should if 
some one had joined with the lone and lonesome delegate 
who voted for us. 

Yes, we had one vote. 

It has always been a source of gratification to reflect that 
when that vote was put in there was no convulsion of na- 
ture, no stopping the earth in its motion, nor even an earth- 
quake. On the contrary, everything continued the same as 
before. The sad and solitary vote was dropped so meekly 
and unobtrusively into the hat that no one would have noticed 
anything out of the ordinary course of events, unless, per- 
haps, that the delegate appeared to l)e a little ashamed of 
himself. 

After the convention, the sixteen delegates came one 
after another and made us a visit of condolence. Each with 
sorrow depicted on his contenance expressed in moving ac- 
cents his deep regret, and stated how hard he had labored. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 341 

It appeared that each of the sixteen was the identical one 
who had voted for us. Such sympathy, so reliable and 
truthful, greatly calmed and encouraged us, and since then 
we always believe every word a delegate tells us. We after- 
wards learned, however, that the unfortunate man who did 
give us that one vote was not one of our friendly band of 
sixteen, but he voted for us because he knew us less than he 
did the other candidates. 



342 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



A BULL FIGHT. 

In Spain, bull tights are very frequent. In this country, 
however, they are not so common, yet they sometimes 
occur. Josh. Bennett was the fortunate owner of a very 
fine, thorough In-ed bull. A bull of powerful neck and won- 
derful horns and whose geneology could if necessary be traced 
back in a direct line to the ancient and aristocratic family 
of the bulls of Bashan. Picketed to a stake back of Josh's 
barn, his (the bull's) melodious voice was often heard in tones 
defiant, inviting other bulls, (of which this country had the 
pleasure of having several roaming around.) to approach and 
hold a conference. Early one Saturday morning, while the 
aforesaid Taurus was trying the strength of a lOO-foot picket 
rope — trying also occasionally the strength of his lungs, a dis- 
tant sound like the roar of approaching thunder was heard 
coming over the blaif. A cloud of dust first w^as seen, 
which moving down the hill side like a small tornado, reveal- 
ed witliin it the contorting and cavorting form of another 
l)ovine a bull. Iilack as ink who pranced upon the scene 
with head (h)\vn and tail u}), witli Haining eyes and furi- 
ous horns. As he tlius in full fighting trim appeared 
Josh's bull, eagerly smelling the impending conflict, hastened 
to meet him. Josh ha\ing at the first note of war untied the 
rope so that no undue advantage could b(^ taken. Thus ad- 
vancing, they paused a moment when at a little distance 
apart, each to more closely view his antagonist, to ]»a\v the 
ground, and to i)i])e out the stirring note of l)attle. In 1 he 
meanwhile the spectators speedily scaled the neigh! <uing 
fences for safe keeping. Then with a preliminary roar the 
Taurian gladiators imisIumI upon each otluM'. They speai'ed 
in with their horns and tried to exalt each other therecui. they 
l)utted with their heads, they tore up the ground, they lashed 
their sides with thcii- tails; each tried to dislocate the others 
neck, to cut his sides open, to break his hack. b(»th at the 
same time shootinitolT t licii" mouths in xoiccs of blood antl 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 343 

fury. Thus they fought. With amazing celerity they twist- 
ed and flounced around each other, goring and goading, sup- 
ple as eels and with the fury of tigers, while the air resound- 
ed with the din, and the earth trembled as though a whole 
drove of antediluvian monsters had come again. 

Being of about the same size, and both of them large and 
in perfect fighting trim — for some time it was hard to tell 
upon whose banner victory would perch. At first it was 
thought that the black bull would get away with the other. 
For a few of the first rounds beseemed to butt and gore with 
such remarkable ability and science that it looked as though 
he would soon be master of the situation. But finally Josh's 
bull turned upon his adversary with a desperation which re- 
gained in a twinkling all the ground he had lost in the fight 
theretofore. The battle raged until the antagonists, covered 
with wounds and bathed in blood and foam, were nearly ex- 
hausted. Then the black bul], which had been losing ground 
for some time, gave a parting roar, and turning, fled, and 
the other was too nearly played out to follow far. Then he 
was tied up again, and peace once more spread its white wings 
over the scene. 



■6U HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



IRREPRESSIBLE CONFLICT CONCERNING A HOCI 

TROUGH. 

As people of peace, this country used to have few quar- 
rels and fights, and when one came off it was rememl)ered. 
I never, for twenty years after coming here, saw but one 
real hard fought battle, and that I will now describe. 

One day I had a trip to St. Helena in Cedar county, and 
on the route I came, not far from the county line, to a small 
but romantic valley which, embowered among the hills, 
presented a beautiful and attractive landscape. A silvery 
stream, over which was throw^n a rustic bridge, sped merrily 
along, and on either side were tine farms with highly culti- 
vated fields. A more peaceful, pleasant spot one could 
hardly hnd, and it would be difficult to believe that in so 
charming an Arcadian retreat, had been heard the shouts of 
coml)atants and the crash of war. Yet such, I regret to 
say, was the case. 

Near the stream just mentioned was the farm of a man 
whom I will call Smith, (that not being his right name) 
and his house, but a short distance from the bridge, was 
tastefully situated amid trees and \ines. With old man 
Smith and his wife lived two slal)-sided, strapping sons and 
their wives, all of whom, generally peaceable and sluggish, 
were at the time I came to the bridge in question, engaged 
in warlike demonstrations of no make believe variety. As 
they occupied the bridge, I could not pass over, and hence 
had to stop and see the scrimmage. 

The names of the two sons were Joe and Jim. and IVom 
what I could learn as to the cause of the row. it appeared 
that they had had certain ditt'erences of opinion, whereby 
lengthy and earnest discussions and exhaustive arguments 
ensued, concerning their respective rights and duties in re- 
gard to the cleaning out of a certain hog trough then and 
there being. Joe insisted that Jim should cleanse and scrape 
the said trough, whereas Jim maintained with equal force of 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 345 

words and power of logic that it was Joe's business and not 
"his'n." As neither could convince the other, there was but 
one way left, and that was a resort to arms. Whereupon 
the}^ rushed to the shock caparisoned and panoplied in this 
wise, — Joe grappled in his left hand an old breech burnt re- 
volver, the which, as it was not loaded excepting with the 
accumulated rust of the past hve years, was not as danger- 
ous a weapon as would appear at first glance. In his right 
hand he carried a long stake, plucked from a convenient 
sled. To oppose this wrathful attack, Jim grabbed a 
churn having a few gallons of Inittermilk in it, and desiring 
to open the battle by an artillery duel, discharged the con- 
tents at long range ujion the advancing foe. Then, while 
his enemy was demoralized by the deluge of sour milk, Jim 
picked up a "swingletree," and fearlessly faced the cavernous 
mouth of the revolver, and, regardless of the sled stake, 
rushed upon Joe and knocked his two eyes into one, — made 
more room in his mouth by taking therefrom four teeth, and 
plastered his upper lip like a poultice of apple batter all 
over his face. 

But this little episode did not check the undaunted soul 
of the warlike Joe. With his sled stake he ironed down 
Jim's nose until it resembled a pound of suitably hammered 
beef steak, one ear hung down like a broken sunflower, and 
a resounding pelt on his frontal bone caused him to see stars, 
planets, comets and suns without number. 

But now Jim unlim1)ered again and let fly with his 
swingletree and nicely skinned from his antagonist's sconce a 
strip of scalp long enough for a halter strap, split his nostrils 
apart until they looked in two different directions like the 
protecting guns of an assaulted fortiflcation, and with a back 
action upward movement stroke, knocked his chin into his 
nose, thereby transforming his frontispiece into a beak. 

And now. the battle becoming hot, the wives of the com- 
batants gallantly moved to the conflict and reinforced, one 
on each side. And old man Smith and his wife also rushed 
down to the bridge where the Hght was coming off, and 
tried to quell the tumult, but not being successful. Anally 
joined in. one favoring Joe and the other Jim. 

Then surged and resurged the battle on the bridge, and 
red ran the stream beneath it. Each combatant as he or 



346 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

she pranced into the fight, had lironglit snch weapons 
as were most convenient. On the left where the heaviest 
force seemed to be engaged, a shovel and a mop as opposing 
banners led the van, while through the air like chain shot or 
bursting l)()nibs. came a skillet, an ash pan, two stove hooks 
and a pail of swill. 

At the centre of the hard fought field, Joe wielded his sled 
stake again and let it fall like a trip hammer, cutting a hole 
in Jim's head, though not letting out any brains for obvious 
reasons. And in response Jim plied his swingletree bravely 
and vigorously, and with the determination never to yield, but 
to knock Joe out. gave vigorous and repeated blows upon the 
region of his pericardium and supergasticus. Also knocked 
off the single button holding up Joe's pants, which therefore 
becoming demoralized, Joe kicked them off as scornfully and 
disregardingly as the hero who ])urned his ships behind him. 
Then Joe lifted his sled stake and discharged a fearful blow 
at what was left of Jim's head. Had the blow hit square, 
the history of this hght would there and then have been 
concluded. But providence so ordained that as the blow de- 
scended, Jim, in trying to avoid it, fell into the creek, and 
Joe's tremendous exertions pitched him headlong after Jim, 
The creek, though not deep, was muddy, but regardless of 
the water and mud. they continued to hght, and grappled 
with one another and pounded and clawed until old man 
Smith, again assuming the position of mediator, waded out 
to them and with a fire shovel proceeded to administer judi- 
cious slaps here and there, and impartially and indiscrimin- 
ately paddle the beligerant and slippery bodies which 
squirmed and fioimced around in the mud like eels in a soap 
tub. Then he took a fence rail and pried them asunder and 
peace was once more proclaimed. Then the sole specta- 
tor of the scene, drove on. How they finally decided the 
question of cleaning the hog trough we never heard. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 347 



A CONFIDENCE GAME TAKES PEOPLE IN. 

"Cximme seventy-five cents for this dollar bill!" yelled a 
chap standing in a carriage on MikeselFs corner, one Satur- 
day afternoon. 

There was notliing in the appearance of the man to war- 
rant the supposition that he was insane. On the contrary he 
looked about as sharp as they make 'em. 

"Cximme a quarter for a half-dollar, ten cents for a quar- 
ter, who'll have 'em?" he vociferated, as the crowd gathered 
around. 

Of course such an opportunity for speculation was not to 
be passed by and while setting him down as an escaped 
lunatic, several bystanders snapped up his baits in a hurry. 

"I tell ye, fellers," he cried. "I've got lots of money, and 
I'm tryin' ter get rid of it. I'm on the hunt of my dad's 
reputation that he lost up here ten years ago. None of ye 
hain't seen nothin' of it have ye? Who'll have ten cents 
jist to 'member me by?" 

The crowTl grew, and our lunatic drove a thriving busi- 
ness, occasionally varying the performance by scattering a 
little loose change on the ground, where the crowd nearly 
mashed each other's shins in picking it up. 

•'I tell ye I'm rich!" he shouted. "Our hull family's that 
way. I've got the nicest farm ye ever saw down in Iowa. 
'Nuther man's farm lays right on top of it. Who wants this 
elegant quarter for only a dime?" 

By this time the crowd numbered about a hundred, and 
then the sad-faced stranger began to come down to business. 

He opened a valise of microscopic dimensions, and took 
out a case of Peter Funk jewelry. Picking out a common 
collar button, he explatterated thus: 

"Gentlemen, I am traveling agent for the Chicago jewelry 
firm of Clapp & Co. We have lately patented a new article 
of jewelry, which we are desirous of introducing into your 
town. Composed of equal parts brass, tin, copper and plat- 
inum, warranted good as gold, will not rust, discolor, rip, 



348 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

tear, ravel or run down at the heel. I have here a few 
samples, which I wish some of you intelligent gentlemen to 
examine, so that next week when our selling agent arrives 
with a large stock, you may know what quality of goods he 
has. But to guard myself against loss, while you are exam- 
ining the Initton, please hand up ten cents, its value, which 
shall l)e returned to you when you have done." 

Quite a number of verdants complied with his request. 
Their money was returned to them after the examination 
and he also generously allowed them to keep the button. 
This performance was gone through with on several differ- 
ent articles and the rush became great, for he generally re- 
turned more money than had been given him. 

He at last brought out a case of the meanest of mean 
brass rings for which he asked a dollar as security. The 
careful observer might have observed that this time he 
didn't promise to return the money worth a cent. People 
bit as usual, however. Then he brought out some more 
rings for which he asked two dollars security. Meanwdiile 
he hadn't returned the one dollar men's scads. But these 
innocents waited patiently. He exhorted the crowd to come 
up and invest in the $2 rings. "Just to make the $1 men 
sick," said he. Quite a number again bit, some of the |1 men 
among the number. 

He now had in his hands some $20 or $25. And now 
this peculiar acting agent began to act still more peculiar. 

Like Elisha, he "riz right up" in his carriage and politely 
informed the crowd that he had given them a good article 
of experience at a nominal price, and they should be satis- 
tied. 

"This money," said he, "I might return to you; and, agin, 
I moughtn't. I might donate it to the Young Men's Chris- 
tian association; but 1 won't. I might give it to the 
churches; but it wouldn't do to divide such a small uuiount 
of money between so many churches. I might jam it down 
my jeans; and I'll he derned if I don't think I will!" And 
before the astonished victims could get this meaning through 
their hair, his buggy wheels had disappeared around the 
corner. They never saw him nor the money again. It w^as 
a good lesson, showing as it did, the "ways that are dark 
and the tricks that are vain." 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 349 



PROF. PERRIGOUE'S FIGHT WITH FIRE. 

The passengers on the train one evening, saw on the hills 
and the ravines northeast of Ponca, a tremendous fire. Little 
did they imagine that in the centre of that magnificent dis- 
l^lay of fiame a cruel scene was being enacted. 

Professor Perrigoue, (w^ell known to science as the dis- 
coverer of Dixon County's subterranean wonders), built, a 
few weeks before in one of the ravines, a building designed 
for an observatory, but which lately he had been utilizing 
as a lime kiln. On the evening in question, he was attend- 
ing to his kiln and stirring up the fire with as much dili- 
gence as he had often previously exercised in more scientific 
enterprises. Thus, earnest and busy, he did not for some 
time see two long lines of fire approaching him, the one 
from the west and the other from the east. The roaring of 
the rapidly advancing fires finally aroused him from the con- 
templation of his labors. The sight which greeted him was 
an appalling one. He saw himself in a narrow lane between 
parallel walls of fire. Escape seemed impossilile. Yet, un- 
dismayed by the thought that he w^ould soon he broiled alive, 
he surveyed his situation with the intrepid calmness of an 
old Indian fighter on the plains of Montana. x\ short dis- 
tance away the professor saw a tall Cottonwood tree. In a 
moment he reached and climbed it. Yet, swift as were his 
motions, they were none too soon for safety, for as he climb- 
ed the angry fires swept under him and long fingers of flame 
reached up and tickled his lower limbs and scorched his 
coat tails. He climbed and climbed and scaled the tree to 
its highest branches. He saw that he was not alone in seek- 
ing that place of refuge. Driven forward by the fire and 
now surrounded by it, several snakes and animals attempted 
to escape by climbing the tree. Among those who came up 
were four rattlesnakes, which, in the presence of common 
danger, offered at first no violence to the professor nor to 
the dozen squirrels, the two wild cats, the four coons, and 



350 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

finally the five skunks that, hastening up the tree, had 
perched upon its branches. The terrible heat below had in- 
deed tenanted the tree with a wonderful variety of inhabi- 
tant«. 

The raging fire and the clouds of smoke at last awakened 
the anger of the professor's neighbors. The rattlesnakes 
partly unwinding from the branches to which they clung, 
struck at him with fury. The wild cats arched their backs 
and spit at him. Even the peaceable coons and squirrels 
showed their teeth and extended their claws toward him. 

And now a new danger beset him. The tree itself took 
fire and its trunk dead and dry, burned with frightful vio- 
lence, and soon burning off ;it its base, tottered and was 
about to fall and hurl the professor and his companions into 
the lake of fire below. At this supreme moment and in this 
fervid heat, the discomfort of his unhappy situation was 
greatly increased by the five skunks, wdiich, located in differ- 
ent parts of the tree and hitherto quiet and peaceable, now 
seemed to regard him as the author of all their trouble. 

The tree commenced to fall. Was there no hope? Alas! 
no. Without a special interposition of Providence how was 
it possible for the professor to escape. The fire below and 
for half a mile on every side was ten feet deep. 

The tree continued to fall. We ask our readers what 
could the tortured denizens of that tree do under such cir- 
cumstances. How could the professor get away unless he 
had wings. But he neither had wings nor time to sprout 
any. Could he get off on his ear or could he etherialize him- 
self and fioat safely away on a cloud of smoke? Assuredly 
not. 

In the meantime the tree continued to fall. Some there 
are who might possibly contrive some plan whereby the pro- 
fessor could find a place of safety. If so. they can do more 
than we can. 

As we have before remarked, the tree, remorseless and re- 
lentless, continued to fall. 

Well, let it fall. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 351 



BURGLARS IN TOWN. 

Before the railroad struck this country, no such person 
as a burglar was ever known to visit it. Whether the peo- 
ple were too poor to l)e robbed or whether a lack of the 
necessary swift transportation to and from, caused the burg- 
lar fraternity to give Dixon county the go by, cannot be said. 
It may be that the way with which the people dished out the 
law to Miller the murderer of Dumi, may have made thieves 
a little skittish about coming here to do professional work. 
At all events they stayed away, and people scarcely ever 
thought of them. 

When robbers raid a town, and break into houses, and 
slam around aud carry off goods, with terror going before 
them and leaving destitution in their footsteps, then it is 
that the hearts of the stoutest are tried. Ponca had hoped 
to avoid such an ordeal as this, and although near by, at 
Sioux City, burglars had often tried their hands and got 
away with considerable swag, yet Ponca escaped until one 
night when certain events transpired, a history of which we 
will relate. 

In the northwestern part of town resided a family named 
Rooks. On the evening in question. Mr. Rooks himself was 
away from home, and there was no man about the house 
except his son, a youth of about twenty-two summers. As 
the shades of evening crept down, and weird and ghostly 
shadows and silence fell upon the landscape, the family 
heard what was supposed to be a light footstep in the upper 
story of their house. They had been away during the day, 
and this fact together with the fact that a small sum of 
money was deposited up stairs, impressed young Mr. Rooks 
with the certainty that robbers, bold, insatiate and remorse- 
less, had invaded the peaceful precincts of his home and 
were now laying in wait and would when night had farther 
advanced and sleep had wrapped up the household, issue 
forth in their furious, raw -head and bloody bones manner, 



352 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

and murder him and steal the mone,y. Consequently the 
young man immediately took measures for offense and de- 
fense. Grasping a formidable Imtcher knife he flung open 
the front door and stationed himself therein, having hrst 
opened the front gate, thus wisely remembering that one 
of the duties of a sagacious general before commencing bat- 
tle, is to provide avenues of safe retreat in case such retreat 
should become necessary. Having thus formed his line of 
battle in the doorway, he deemed it expedient to send for 
reinforcements l)efoi-e opening the contest. He therefore 
sent his brother, a lad of six years, after Rev. Mr. Smith, 
who boarded there but was now down town. 

Accordingly the lad came down on a run, and hunting up 
Mr. Smith, told him that robbers had broken into the house, 
and Mr. Smith ran back with him. On their way they over- 
took W. Clark, Jr., and impressed him into the service, and 
all soon arrived at the scene of danger. Here they found 
Hooks still intrepidly holding the post in the doorway, and 
in a dauntless manner, though with trembling legs, prepar- 
ing for the onslaught. On casting about, it was seen that 
the only weapon of war the whole array had, was the 
butcher knife. The little brother was therefore sent to a 
neighbor's for arms, and he soon returned bringing a 
revolver. It was an ancient firearm, and might possibly 
have been young at the siege of Troy. Yet in the darkness 
its slight defects were not visible, and, as will be seen in the 
sequel, it did just as good execution as a Winchester rifle. 

The troops and arms all l)eing provided. Captain Rooks 
before leading them to the field of battle, took the pistol, 
and addressing his men, pointed out the dangers to l)e un- 
dergone, and directed Mr. Smith, as second in command, to 
take charge of the butcher knife, which however he declined 
in favor of Clark. The captain then said that as soon as 
they met the hoixle of armed and desperate robbers up stairs, 
he would prol)ably lie shot, and when that happened he 
wished Mr. Smith to take the revolver and finish the battle. 

The force having formed for the purpose of advancing up 
stairs, the captain lifted his voice and in words trembling 
with brave emotion, warned the robbers that they were all 
now al)out to l)e killed. And rattling his revolve)' he reso- 
lutely pushed forward legs which seemed to want to go 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 353 

another way. Then came Clark with tlie bntcher knife, 
with which he occasionally prodded his leader in the back 
when he leaned or wobbled. The next should have been 
Rev. Smith, but alas, at this critical period he hauled off and 
retreated from the held. Thus the army was depleted one- 
third, without hring- a gun. Notwithstanding this discour- 
aging circumstance, the remaining two continued their 
march up stairs, and after some time, being often required 
to pause to reform the liue and brace up, they arrived at the 
top. 

And now occurred a series of military movements worthy 
of Marshal Turenne. They hammered the walls and floor 
and made a noise as though a whole regiment was at their 
backs, then they partly opened the door, peeked in and 
jumped nimbly aside. The rolil)ers within never let on, 
never said a word nor made a sign of their presence. Then 
the captain ordered Clark to deploy in and reconnoitre, 
while he would hold the post at the door. Mr. Clark accord- 
ingly marched in and explored the mysteries of the room. 
The rol)bers still making no resistence, the captain moved 
to Clark's assistance, and together they examined the 
premises. 

They stripped off the bed-clothes from the bed, slung 
aside the ticks of feathers and straw, and with the bed-slats 
punched and jammed into every nook and cranny where a 
robber might be hid. Only once when punchiug and prod- 
ding under a bureau did they think they had caught him. 
Then forth leaped the ready revolver in the captain's strong 
right hand, and he prepared to shoot at once. Things were 
evidently approaching a crisis. Fortunately at this junc- 
ture, it was discovered that wdiat had been supposed to be a 
robber was a bag of old clothes. In fact, no robber was 
found, nor anything with the disposition of one, except a 
mouse which crept timidly along the wall, to see what all 
the uproar was about. 

Having thus defended the domicile, the captain conh- 
dently remarked as to what he would have done had he seen 
the robbers. Then they went down stairs, and the conflict 
ended. 



354 • HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



AN INDIAN DUEL. 

One hot summer's day, ten or fifteen years ago, a party of 
four young Indians passed througli town going northwest. 
A few miles out they stopped and arrayed themselves in war 
costume and put on ominous black and red paint, thus indi- 
cating that they were on a mission not wholly peaceful. The 
secret of the matter was, two of the Indians were going out 
to fight a duel. They were two young Santee Sioux, named 
respectively Slit Lip Bob and Sam Squire. They had been 
down to the Omaha reserv^ation on a visit and while there 
had l)oth fallen in love with an Indian squaw named Sail 
Molly, the beautiful daughter of old Billy Bumbottle, one of 
the chiefs of the tribe. The two Indian beaux, Bob and Sam, 
went dead in love with the alluring Sail, and, according to 
Indian custom, each tried to buy her of her affectionate par- 
ent. His price was twenty-four ponies, which was not high, 
considering that she was a stout, strapping squaw, good 
tempered, and capable of hoeing corn and doing housework, 
in all of which accomplishments she was well versed, having 
already had much experience. Consequently both the beaux 
were willing to pay the twenty-four ponies, and the question 
then naturally came up as to which one it should be. The 
case was referred to Sail herself, but she could not fully de- 
cide, as she liked them both almost equally well. They were 
indeed both line Indians, and in many respects well matched. 
If there was any advantage at all it was probably in favor of 
Sam, who was younger than the other and had already only 
two wives, whereas Bol) was the possessor of four help»neets. 
But Sail could not decide which she would make hapi)y. and 
her two swains agreed to settle the matter by fighting. 

So they started out to find a suitable place for the battle, 
bringing with them two Indian friends to act as umpires and 
bottle holders, and passed through town as before related. 

After donning their war paint they went up to a secluded 
spot in the Lime creek hills, and then laying aside all weap- 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. ;J55 

ons excepting two stone headed war clubs, they mounted 
tlieir ponies and tackled one another with great fury. After 
circling and whooping around as a sort of preliminary exer- 
cise, the combatants came to close quarters, when Bob deliv- 
ered a fearful blow with his club at Sam, who slipped to one 
side and the blow fell on the head of his pony and made him 
feel very demure for awhile. Then Sam got in a blow which 
lamed his opponent's leg severely. They then fell to and 
whacked and banged away at each other, but without much 
effect till hnally from exhaustion both dismounted and sat 
down on the grass and glared at each other in silence. And 
now the spirit of peace, compromise and conciliation stole 
over them, and Bob proposed if Sam would give him five 
ponies, a revolver and two knives, that he would throw up 
the sponge and let his rival have the girl without further 
trouble. Sam joyfully agreed to this, and then washing off 
their paint and dirt, they and their two friends returned back 
to the agency, and the next day the w^edding took place. 
Bob, conciliated by his five ponies, his revolver and two 
knives, rejoiced in happiness second only to that of the 
bride and groom. 

If we had a novelist's pen, we should stretch this roman- 
tic tale of Indian life into a novel of six books. The inci- 
dents were related to us by one of the Indians who attended 
the fight and are substantially correct, excepting the names 
of some of them, which, as our memory is not good in such 
matters, we may have miscalled. 



356 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



THE GENERAL'S JOLLTFICATION MEETING. 

'"Uncle Jimmy" Patton, who was a settler on the "Mis- 
souri bottom" near Poiica in '65, was a genial old soul and a 
great singer. He was also sometimes given to thirst and 
"hre water," at which times his nsnal peaceful disposition 
was overpowered by largely developed war-like propensities. 
On such occasions he would march upon the town, heralding 
his advance by a voice like the tirst blast of an approaching 
storm. Tt was i)i-obably his tremendous roar, iike that of a 
park of artillery which gave him the title of "general." for 
that was always his title when ugly and drunk, though plain 
"Ihicle Jimmy" when good natured and sober. 

One evening the voice of the "general" was heard in the 
distance and in a short time, with blood at fever heat, he 
appeared in person upon the streets and furnished to his 
fellow citizens an entertainment fully in keeping with what 
might have been expected from one of his versatility of 
genius as a singer and outdoor orator. 

Soon after his arrival the general turned himself loose 
and organizeil the town into a concert hall, and gave his 
audience many choice songs. In e.\ecuting his musical 
selections, he by turns appeared witty, grave, gay. sad. mad 
and pugnacious. At one time he laughed, and again, his 
soul was ])ossessed by inexpressible grief, and he wept. 
He sang many hymns with great fervor and in a voice that 
could br heard two miles away. It is said that the wild 
beasts on the n(Mghl oring hills Hed that night, thinking 
they heard the roai- of some destroying (MUMuy. At the tirst 
blast of that awful voice, all the dogs in town crawled 
under barns and groaned and howled. Then. also, rose 
u]) every man and lit his lantern and v\ent forth to see if the 
unearthly exi)l()si()n of sounds which smote his ears, were 
from the gasping agonies of dying cows and calves. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 857 

Little thinking of the amazing uproar and excitement 
he was arousing in this part of the country, the general 
diligently continued his programme. He sang "When I 
Can Read My Title Clear" with such knock-down force that 
it shook windows and dashed out glass as though a cannon 
had been fired under them. He executed "Sweet Bye and 
Bye" with terrific violence, and poured out his soul in ''Green- 
land's Icy Mountains" in a manner suggestive of a heavy 
storm at sea. Then with the roar of a famished cannibal 
he hurled himself upon Poet-Laureate Rockwell's latest 
psalm, and rent it limb from limb. So shocking was the on- 
slaught, that of those who heard it, many thought the crack 
of doom was at hand or that the chief boss of Hades had 
broken loose. 

Varying Iiis strains from solemn to gay, be now like an 
avalanche thrashed his way into "Mulligan's Guards," where- 
upon all the cats in town scooted for the housetops and 
caterw^auled in unison. The general then assaulted and 
stormed the symphony entitled "Finnigan's Wake," and 
then with the graceful poise of a five gallon jug, he gnashed 
his jaws upon "Johnny Fill Up the Bowl." It is reported 
that on account of this song, several people went deaf, and 
others had their hair whitened before morning. Then he 
concentrated his bass, tre])le and baritone, and all his dif- 
ferent hurricanes of melody, into one solid chain-shot of 
electrical, blasting energy, and hooted forth "We Shall 
Gather at the River." He closed his singing by hammering 
out the doxology, which he discharged into the town like a 
thunderbolt, and led people to Ijelieve that a comet or an 
anvil chorus had struck the place. 

He then indulged in several ear-splitting, earth-quaking 
Indian war whoops. A small party of Indians camped on 
the summit, hve miles away, hastily struck their tents and 
mounting their ponies broke for the woods. 

After these musical exercises, the general danced clog 
dances, Virginia break-downs and Highland flings — ^the 
which, as he delivered his hoofs upon the sidewalk, 
sounded like a dray of bricks suddenly unloaded and falling 
from a great height. He wound up by taking oft' his coat 
and inviting those who desired it. to stand forth and be 
whipped. As no one responded to the invitation he put on 



358 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

his coat again and with the appearance of one who had 
done his duty and could do no more for the gratification of 
his friends, took up his homeward march. 

The above, a sample of what occurred occasionally for 
several years, shows that though we had no regular theatres 
in early times, we had other entertainments equally as 
good. 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 361 



INDEX. 



The names and brief notices of tlie pioneers from the first settlement in 
May, 1856, to tlie organization of tlie county and its first election in Decem- 
ber, 1858, will be found on pages 16 to 23, inclusive. The names of the most 
prominent of those pioneers are also in this index. 

Names of teacliers attending Institute in August, 1895, will be found 
on pages 266, 267. 

Not all the persons mentioned in the History are referred to in this 
index. The number is so great that a full index is impossible. 



Arnold, Edward 29, 38, 49, 165, 209 

Alexander, James and Robert 29, 114 

Agricultural Society and Fair 87, 103-4, 108, 115 

Atkinson, W. W 87, 222 

Auchmoody trial for murder of Bishop 103 

Armstrong, R. P 151 

Aoway Valley Creamery 126 

Armstrong, David 216 

Auge, Wm 152 

Addison, J. H 221 

Askin. Peter 222 

Anderson, O. K 224 

Allen, John 243 

Allen, Henry 243, 247 

Allen Village 121.244,247 

Allen Churches 244 

Allen Societies 244 

Allen News 244 

Armour & Morgan 244 

Acres. G. 263, 264 

B. 

Barrett, .James 30 

Buntz, John 24 

Buckmans, Tlie 24 

Brown. Geo 25 

Bramble, D. T 28, 30, 33, 140 

Bigley, Wra. and James 29, 71, 72, 151, 159, 233 

Bisbee, E. M 29, 92, 93, 165 



862 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Beardshear, H 49, 207 

Blizzards 81, 82, 83 

Blizzard of January 12, 1888 120 

Bolsom, Joseph 81 

Brewer, Old Joe 91, 94, 95 

Baltzley, Oliver 140 

Barnes, J. B 142 

Barnes Brothers 157 

Beeson, A. W ; 151 

Barnes, A. E ". 157 

Berry, E J 152 

Bauer, August 153 

Brown, Mark 190 

Blecker, Charles Frederick 210 

Bates. Rev. W. S 202 

Biggerstaff, Samuel 208 

Barber, Charles 208 

Beller, B. H., E. and P 208 

Brown, H. 1 210 

Bennett, Pat 221, 230 

Baker Herman 222 

Brookey Charles 224 

Bailey, James G 224 

Bailey, John, James, Wra. and S. D .224 

Burdick, Captain 231 

Burgett, M 234 

Borg, Jolin 243 

Brown, J. 1 250 

Barto, C. T 255, 256 

Blake, C. 1 256 

Barnhill, James '. . . .264 

Black Hills excitement 83 



Carstines. (ierliart 24 

Clark. James 25 

Carson, Mr 26 

Cavanagh, John 28 

Cavanagh. Bernard 29, 241 

Curry, A 29, 230 

Courts and crimes in Dixon county 64 

C. C. & B. H. Railroad, 73, 78 

Clark, Rev. W. H ~ 88 

Coal discoveries 90 

Census of county. 1885 114 

Census in various years since 1856 128 

County otticers from first election to present time 132, 140 

County seat election HI 

Creameries 145 

Conner, 1 151 

Conrad, V 154 

Cooper, W. W 157, 183 

Culver, Bion PI 189 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 336 

Cook, Ben.)., J. P. and Sylvester 201 

Coats, S H 208 

Carnell, D 208 

Curry, Dan 215 

Childs, O. M 219, 220 

Crandall, K. N 220 

Coleman, L 220 

Cummings, IT. S 220 

Coleman, A 231 

Conway, M 220 

Cummings, Sol 221 

Cady, Wm 222 

Connery, John 224 

Carder, E. E 226 

Coleman, John 226 

Clingan, W. A 229 

Connery & McGrath 229 

Calvert, Fred 230 

Cleveland, C. C 234 

Cole, J. H 234 

Chase, J. E 234 

Crowell, C. M. 237 

Cavanaugh, Pat 237 

Crowley, Daniel 241 

Cavanagh, Jack 247 

Concord Village 262. 264, 265 

Business Arms 265 

Schools and churches 265 

The ancient village of (see North iiendi. 

D. 

Davis, A 16, 207 

Dempsey, P . 29, 218 

Daily, P 29 

Davis, Leander 30 

Dixon County, Its name 36 

Organization and boundaries 33 

First election of otlicers and fixing county seat 36, 37, 38 

Size, land, timber and water 38 

Growth 79 

First meeting of county commissioners 40 

First assessment and tax list 41, 42 

Members of legislature from organization to date, 140, 141 
County officers from first election to present time 132, 140 

First grist mill 49 

First school 43 

First Fourtli of J uly celebration 49 

Marriages in county since its organization 132 

liirihs and deaths in county since its organization 132 

Assessed valuationsof property from '56 to now. .130, 131, 132 
Improved lands, groves orchards and forest trees.. .129, 130 

Schools 142, 143, 144, 145 

Poor farm 214 



364 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Dixon Village, 12i , 2()2, 2(>r> 

Business firms 265 

Mills 265 

Churches, schools and societies 265 

(Old villaufe of Dixon, see North Bend.) 

Drouth of 1864. , . 45 

Drouths 145 

Dewitt, Sheriff 64, 65, 207 

Donlin, Daniel 82, 209 

Diamonds 118 

Denton, J . B 38 

Dorsey, F. M 124, 125 

Drivini? and Fair Association 124. 125, 126 

Davey, J. M 147. 148. 166 

Drager Bros 1 48 

Drager, A 219 

Dixon County Bank 153 

Dierenfleld, E. H 153 

Douthit, Perry 213 

Dudley, G . and Roy 220 

Daily Branch P. O 220 

Donahue, Mike 222 

Dougherty. Michael 222 

Dougherty. Jr., Phil 223 

Dougherty, M ike 223 

Donovon. Joh n 231 

Dempster, Perry 232 

Delaney. John 237 

Duren, John .. 239 

Demme, Enos 248 

Davis & Fuller 249 

Delay, Robert 263 

E. 

Ellyson, W. II. A. U. and J . W 51, 201 

Earthquake 86 

Ellis, E. E. and Wm 141, 242 

Fames & Searing 151, 153 

Fames, E. J 229 

Edwards .S: Bradford 153 

Enders, John and Jesse 208 

Engle, Antone 213 

Engle, Mat- and John 240 

Emkkson 105, 247, 250 

Churches and schools 248 

Societies 24h 

Business men and firms 249 

Mill and Improvement Company 249 

F. 

First party of ssttlers 24 

Henry Ford 24 

Fuller, II. A 2^,29,159 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 365 

Freeman, Francis 29, 49, 165 

First visit of grasshoppers 31 

First visit of liard times 32 

Flood and great damage in Spring of '81 100, 101, 102 

First National Bank of Ponca 124, 153 

Forbes, J. D 151 

Francis & Son 15:i 

Fields, II. C 154 

Franz, Gustav 15'4 

Feauto, Nelson and Isaac 200 

Foulks, George 220 

Flack. J. B 230 

Finnegan, ( )wen -31 

Fegley, .Jacob 237 

Fille.v. Harry 239 

B^illey, Wm 244 

Ponton, Geo 251 

First deed recorded in county I'i3 



Gormans, The 26, 29 

Gillans, The 26, 29, 240 

Great crops in 1865 ■*" 

Grasshopper raids 82, 83, 145 

Great Bend cut off by change of river 101, 102 

G. A, R. first organized l^'j 

Growth and business up to 1887 1 1^ 

Grist and saw mills l-l-l 

Gamble, M. F l-l". 1"^"^ 

Gamble. S 146,171 

Groth, Wm 153 

Gray, E W 153 

(rreen, .lohn ( Ponca) 15'i 

Green, John (Allen) 243 

Gantt, W. E 257 

Gibbs. J. F 202 

Grosvenor. H. H 222 

Gran, A N. and and S. N 223 

Gibson, W. H 232 

Graham, Thomas • 252 

Graves, Pliilo 256 

Gurney, C. W 264 

H. 

Hill. L T 16, 30, 50, 51. 199, 200 

Hoese, Henry, Frank and Wra 26, 30 

Hotclikiss, family 50 

Hotchkiss, Roswell 201 

Hughes, Isaac 51 

Harden, Henry 82 

Hart. S. 1 87, 243 

Hart, H. H 244 



366 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Mel)r<»n. F. G 151 

Iliggins, Mrs. M. B 1.52 

Hobbs, James 152 

Howe. H. C 153 

Ilaniillon, G. C 153 

Iluse. Wm., \V. N. and E. W 154 

Hench, J. M J57 

Harris, J. D 184 

Hewett, J 1 89 

Heald. Eli 202 

Huddleston, W. and M 213 

Heidy, E. L 219 

Ilaiinant. R. H 219 

Hazel Postoffioe 215 

Hillen, James 222 

Hoover. Josiali 222 

Hoy, Thomas 226 

Hoskinson, J. M 229 

Hopkins. H. W 230 

Herrick, Geo 234 

Harney, Henry and Joliti 234 

Harding. James 234 

Hoopingarmer. Jolm R 237 

Hall. F. and G. W 238 

Hurley. D 241 

Herfel, V. H. and John 242, 243 

Hamlin. Seth 243 

Hinds, A. F. and Pitt M 251 

Hypse, Frank A . and J . W 252 

Hall, H. D 263 

Hall, Wm H 263 

Hooker. H. D 264 



loNiA 2S. 35. 51, 52 

lt>nia volcano m, 97. 98 

Indian scares 44. 45, 53 ,60 

Indian visits and dances 59, 60 

Indian stories and legends m ,6i 

Isom, Joseph 243 

J. 

Jones, E. H 219 

Johnson, Nels, Nels C. and Casper 224 

Johnson Bros 229 

Jeffrey, Fred 239 

Jeffrey, James 241 

Jonrdan, P'rank and John 240 

Jolmson, (iustus 252 

Jenkins. Willis 263 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 367 

K. 

Kugler, Isaac 24 

Kingsbury, A. G 157 

Kingsbury, C. A 157 

Kautz, J. D 213 

Keoppie, Gottleib 240 

Krause, Wm. and his sons 241 

Koser, Sol 243 

Kellogg, Chas. and J 243 

Kuhn, R. E 247 

Kerwin, P 248, 250 

Kerwin, Wni 248 

Kuntz & McCarthy 249 



Lothrop, Marcellus 25 

Levins & Rose 51 

Long, W.I) 71 

LaFollette, J. U 87 

Lockwood, Martin and William 240 

Leech & Todd 87 

Logan Valley 99, 100, 103, 257 

Logan Valley A gricultural Society Ill 

Lister, Wm 152 

Logan, J. H 152 

Logan, W. P 183, 226 

List of old settlers, most of whom are not mentioned elsewhere and 

a large share of whom have died or moved away 158, 159 

Lennox, J. K 247, 249 

Leonard, Joshia 248 

Lesman, Henry 252 

Lime Grove P. O 225 

M. 

Malones, The 26 

Malone. John 29. 38, 230 

Maskall, John 29, 224 

Maskall, Andrew 224 

VI assenger, Mr 50 

Mat Miller's trial before Judge Lynch for murder 65, 71 

Martinsburg 80. 86, 106. 240 

Martin, J 80, 238, 239 

Matteson, Geo 142. 208 

Mahoney, W. M 151 

Marble, C. H 154 

MacMullen. R. R 157 

Mannion, John 216 

Mendenhall. J 219 

Mallory. Wm 222 

Manley, Bryan ■ 222 

Martin, Chas 223 

Manning, l)r 229 



3G!S HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Marshal, J '^^ 

Mellon, M. I -iJ, 

Mikesell,S.P 147,148,184 

Mlkesell & Co ^^^ 

Miille, Frank and Gottleib '^^^ 

Milligan. .1. () ^:-fl 

Molir,J. A 1^-'^^' 

Morehouse. Joseph 

Morris, Pat "^" 

Monfort. David ^^^ 

Morgan, A. D " "^ 

Morgan, W. A ^^ 

Monroe & Co „ 

Mulholland and Cunimings _ 

Murder trial J^'t 

MurHn. J. L fj" 

Murphy. David f^ 

Mote, W. L ^t: 

Myers, M. M „-^^, 

McKinley. John 29,172,209 

»r I' MM 2o 

Mokennas. 1 he " > i- 

McCarthy, J. J ^''"' ^^ *' ^tl 

McCabe, P l^ 

McShane, ISarney " 

McClary. Thomas '-^]^ 

McClary, Ben. and liurt ^'^^ 

McGuirlv, I^en J;^| 

xMcGuirk. Pat ^^ 

McGrath, Edward ;^7^^ 

McGrath, John ~^~" 

McClusky, Peter ~^ 

McManus, John ^"J" 

McDonald, Dan -^f 

McCleary, Mr ^^"^ 

N. 

North Bend (and Concord and Dixon the old towns) 23, 27, 28, 35, 36, 37 

New Castle, town and village 86. 106, 110, 126, 127, 225 to 229 

Business men and ttrms 22() to 230 

Churches, schools, etc ^*^^ 

New court house 

Newton. Edward "' 

Norris, W. F ^"^^'904 

Nelson. Mons ^^ 

Nelson, Clirisr "'^ 

Northern Nebraska Journal ]^ 

Nelson, P. A., C. J. and C. H 263 

0. 

O'Conner. Andy and brothers '^^- ^•^^' f'J"; 

()rr.T.R ^^^ 



O'Counell, Dr.. 
O'Connor. Wm. 



184 
209 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 369 

O'Grady, John 221 

O'Toole, Father ■■ ■■ 230 

O'Toole, Thomas and William 230 

"Old Man" Whitcomb, the first mill builder 28, 29 

"Old Man" Shook 208 



Putnam, C. F 16, 26. 29, 38, 207 

Porter, N. S 16, 29, 140, 166 

Porter & Gamble 50 

Porter, Dr. J. W 189 

Paschal, Henry 24 

Pflster, Wm : 29, 225, 226 

Pierce, J. J. and H. M 50, 200 

Prairie fires 81, 88, 89, 122 

Paclcer. G. W 81, 252 

Politics and party lines in first years 84 

Peat discoveries 87 

Plesiosaurus, The 95, 96 

Pioneers and Old Settlers' association 127 

Palmer, A. S 141,230 

Paull, C. E 154 

Pearson, J. V 157. 230 

Pomeroy, R. H . l'?2, 243 

Pettit, Amasa 202 

Pearson, B 202 

Payne, F S 213 

Powers, John H . 222 

Pomeroy, W. H. 243 

Pomeroy, J. F. 243 

Pomeroy, Nelson 243 

Park, Wm 251,252 

Park Hill P. O 251 

Postlewait, T. J 252 

PONCA 26, 27, 28, 37, 48 to 50, 77, 80, 85 

"Old Air Castle," first frame house in town 29 

First election for village officers ■l^ 

School houses ... 49, 87 

Schools l''fi 

Churches 50,195,166 

When railroad first came -..85 

Mill company and mill . . . IWj, 123 

A city of second class 116; 1-16 

Business men and firms 146 to 196 

Societies 196 

City council for '95-6 196 

Waterworks 196 

R. 



Hoden. Jolm 25, 29, 208 

Rivers and creeks . ^^ 

Railroads, projects 48 

C. C. & B. H 73 to 78 



a70 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

Railroads: From Sioux City to Emerson 99, 100 

Up Logan valley 99, 100 

Proposed bridge over the Missouri at Ponca 109, 115 

Rumors of roads to be built 117 to 121 

Tales of the imagination ]1!> 

The Pacific Short Line 117, 121 

Extension From Ponca to New Castle 121, 122, 12& 

Rose, A. W 178 

Review of county and towns at end of '82 106, 107 

I\ol)hory of county treasurer's safe 109, 110 

\i ichards, M. F 178 

Rice, Dexter 201 

Ryan, T. J 201,202 

Rahn, B. G 213 

Reynolds, A 21li 

Robi nson, W. F 213 

Runyan, Mark 21f> 

Rumford. V I) 229 

Rahn. Herman 229 

Ross, Robert 229 

Roberts, Rev. John 230 

Rahn. Gottleib 230 

Richards, Henry 230 

Re i sing, J. D 232 

Roberts, Elijah 243 

Ruyter. Frank 252 

s. 

Smith, Adam 24, 30 

Snyder, John 24 

Squatter government 25 

Stough, S. B 16, 25. 29, 38, 159, 160 

Stough, John . . . 26, 29. 160 

Stough Jacob 29,159,160 

Stough Bros 147, 14s. 159 

Stougli. J. D. and Wni. . Kid. 161 

Scollards, The 26 

Scollard, Maurice 29, 233 

Scollard, John 233 

Scollard, Patrick , 237 

Serry, Edward 29, 159 

Smith, Gustavus 29, 225 

Sader, John 29 

Stough & Mikescll. . 50 

Shumway, IL P 141. 2()1. 262 

Sullenberger, « ) 1' 140 

Syrup Factory 144 

Secu rity Bank 153 

Stevenson, Dr 184 

Sheffel, Wni anri I'cler 154 

Smith, H. E 154 

Story, C. J 157 

Sticihlcy. T. .1 lilO 



HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 371 

Smith, C. H 200 

Smith, Almond 200, 201 

Stefani, Joseph 201 

Smatliers, M. L 202 

Spellacy , Andrew 202 

Smith, Mordecca 208 

Shirner, Julius 208 

Sencenbaugh, Benj 209 

Shea, Wm 209 

Sherwood, D. P 210 

Shaw, E. W 213 

Scott, Wm 213 

Schram, C. W 215 

Stark, Fred and Wm 219 

Steffin, Ernst 219 

Silver Creek Churches 215 

Siierman, C. W 221 

Smith, C. N 229 

Suecker & Anderson 230 

Smitli ^ Davis 230 

Sullivan, Wm 231 

Sparks, A. J 231 

Sullivan, J 232 

Schouten, J. L 232 

South Creek Church 233 

Stinger, H. J 234 

Schultz, John E 239 

Sweeney, H ugli 240 

Schram, C. F 241 

Springbank Postofflce 242 

Springliank Churches 242 

Smith. Aaron 242 

Stewart, James 243 

Sweeney, Wm 250 

T. 

Town site business in 1856 and 1857 26, 27 

Todd. C. W 49, 165 

Township organization 110 

Township organization, tirst election of officers under 115 

4'ara Hill Church 220 

Tliomas, T. 1 221 

Tarsony, H 224 

Tobin, James 229 

Talboy, Dr 230 

Tuttle. O. C. and Henry 232 

'I'ripp & Co 247 

Tliompson, C. A 247 

Thompson, Henry 263 

Thompson, .1. W 263 

Thompson. Royal. 264 



373 HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 

V. 

X'oluiiteers from county in 1S()2. 44 

X'andcrhilt . AV. II 140 

w. 

West, Frank 26, 29, 15i> 

Winston, P. J 29, 23a 

White, Andrew 50 

Wheeler, Wni. 261 

W ri^ht ^: Lock wood 8H 

Werninjont, "{'rof." 92 

Winter of 1880-1 100 

Wakefield 103, 104, 105, 108 

A'iilage 257, 258, 261, 262 

Business tirms 261 

Mill 261 

Cliurches and schools 258 

Societies 261 

Republican 261 

VVhitford. A. D 141,243 

Waitt, G. W 141 

Walters, , I. P 140 

Wilbur, R. H 140 

Water powers 145 

Welty, T. J , 157, 189 

Warner. Elias 202 

Wilbur. .leflferson 208 

Waterman, O 214 

Williams R P 214, 238 

Wendte. Herman and Henry 21(i 

Ward, J. (Daily) 222 

Weidenfeldt, H 224 

Waldron, Father 230 

White, Wra 240 

Wriglit. Lyman 241 

Wallenstein, Nick 241 

W i Ison Bros 244 

Warnock, Wm 247, 250 

Wischhof, Chris 252 

Wright, P. G 103,141,239 

Wind storm and great damage in 1885 Ill, 112, 113 

W ATEKBURY VILLAGE 121, 233 

Business tirms 234 

Creamery 234 

Churches 234 



W, C. EDWARDS, 

President anj Treasurer, 



C, H. BRADFORD, 

Vice-President and Secretary. 




mm 'ii 



lit ^ 



^ihn 





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fINGORPORATED. 



\ll 111 lU 



^\M i^mm^ 




Largest Lumber and Coal Dealers in North= 

eastern Nebraska. 

Large Stocks. Leaders in Low Prices. 



YARDS ON. 



The CliiGaoo, 8t, Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha 

AND 

The Sioilx City, O'Neill and Western, 



...yards in dixon county... 

Wakefield, Emerson, Ponca, 

New Castle, Allen, Dixon. 



Come and See Us and Get Acquainted With the 
Way We Do Business, It Will Pay You. 



HEAD... 
OFFICE 



Edwards & Bradford Lomber Go., 



Sioux City, Iowa. 



^H:-**^*' 



IF J.O. MILLIGAN, 

I "sFsr Wakefield Roller Mills. 



.DEALER IN. 



I J Grain a^d 



loo Barrels, 
20,000 Storage, 
Water Power. ^^^,^. 



;ii5isiSl^.i;^L^&.iiit;Jsi,^-il^;&.r;^i^^ 






00 

I MEW CMSTLL. ^ ,* t HiM^&SH, 




CHAS. H. CHERRITT 






i^. Call and Examine 
tt and Learn Prices. 



. .DEALER IN 



FURNITURE.... 



* 



I A Fall liine of Excellent Goods in Stock. 

%%%.^ -— ^ WAKEFIELiD, HebPaska. I 

******************** * **************** *****^***^*^^» 

R. Q. ROWSE. M. D. 

Physician and Surgeon. 

OFFIGE 

First Door West of Corner Drug Store. 



Wakefield, t * t Nebraska. 




s 



